By Zephyria 
……Huh?
Despite rushing out, I found myself completely spellbound the moment I stepped into the hallway. Along one wall of the long corridor stretched several doors, while the other side featured a simple railing that led to the stairs going downstairs. As I leaned on the railing and looked down, the sheer height made me feel dizzy. On the first floor, beneath a massive chandelier, lay a giant rug that had clearly been hand-embroidered, with a marble table and sofas placed upon it. I stood there dazed for a moment, struck by how the minimal furniture and artworks were arranged—irregular yet perfectly harmonious, as if placed by a professional’s precise calculations. I felt for the first time that this was what the “art of space” meant, but that wasn’t all.
Slowly shifting my gaze to the opposite side, I saw that instead of a wall, floor-to-ceiling windows filled the space, revealing an endless night sky and the city’s night view sprawling below. It extended up to the second floor where I stood, so the wall facing the room I had just left also captured a part of the panoramic nightscape. Whoever designed this place had created the space to encompass this entire view. A space that made me feel as if I were existing above the heavens.
So, this man lives looking down at the world from a place like this.
In that moment, I felt as though I could almost understand Nathaniel Miller’s arrogance. This man must have lived this kind of life as a matter of course since he was very young. All of this. Considering it his own from the moment he was born. Possessions that no one could take away, and that he didn’t even have to strive to protect. A man who obtained a medical license and even a law firm without difficulty. To such a man, life must be…….
‘Boring.’
I could almost hear Nathaniel Miller’s languid voice in my ear. At the same time, a bitter taste filled my mouth. He would never know how luxurious and arrogant such a sentiment is.
That’s why.
I steeled my resolve once more and lifted my head. That’s why I must never lose to that man.
I didn’t have the luxury of wasting any more time. I listened carefully to my surroundings, but all that greeted me was a deathly silence. There was no sign of anyone. Surprisingly, Nathaniel Miller had gone out, leaving me alone. There would be no other opportunity like this. A chance to find the meaning behind the words he had spoken.
I quickly scanned the area below. What would be further inside, past the living room? Having never even seen, let alone experienced, such a massive penthouse, it was difficult to imagine the layout.
……In that case.
I quickly checked my condition. As expected, I had no pants. It was shameful, but conversely, it was the perfect excuse to utilize the situation.
That I was wandering around looking for my pants.
Having thought that far, I immediately frowned. Damn it, the lack of pants wasn’t the only inconvenient thing. The oversized shirt completely covered my hands. I looked like a child who had stolen an adult’s clothes, which was utterly unpleasant for a fully grown adult. Moreover, it was irritating that the shirt kept slipping off. I knew all too well who the owner of this shirt was. Though it was an unwelcome fact, Nathaniel Miller had stripped me of all my clothes and dressed me in his own shirt. I could reach the rational conclusion that he left out the pants because there was nothing suitable, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was intentional. It was absurd to be rummaging through someone else’s house in this state, but it made even less sense to just sit idly by.
It’ll be the study, as expected.
It wasn’t hard to imagine Nathaniel Miller bringing company work home to handle. Perhaps he was working in the study right now. Even so, I had sufficient justification. After taking a deep breath, I immediately began exploring the room right next to me.
I knocked, waited a moment, and opened the door, only to find another bedroom. I briefly wondered if it was connected to the room where I had slept, but it wasn’t particularly important. I closed the door and opened the next room, and then the next.
And when I opened the final door at the end of the second-floor hallway, I let out a short sigh. As expected, the thing one searches for always appears last. I felt a wave of bitterness, but this was no time to be sighing. Hurrying inside, I scanned the interior. I saw bookshelves filling one wall, packed with books and documents. In front of me was a large walnut desk with its back to the glass window showcasing the vast night view; it was designed with an elegant semi-circular curve, allowing one to rest and look at the outdoor scenery while working.
That must be custom-made too.
I felt a brief flash of envy, but I soon reminded myself of the realistic problem. The fact that I could never own even a single desk like that.
More importantly, why was I in here? I hurried around the desk and turned on the computer. During the short loading time, I anxiously checked the door repeatedly. I had intentionally left the door slightly ajar so I could react immediately if I heard any sound from outside. In the current situation, the excuse of wandering around looking for pants wouldn’t be convincing. Instead, I pulled a random book from the shelf and placed it on the desk, intending to say I was looking for a book because I was bored, and then checked the computer.
“Damn it!”
As expected, it was locked. I didn’t know a single thing that could help me guess the password. It was then I realized I didn’t even know Nathaniel Miller’s birthday. With no other choice, I turned off the computer and searched the bookshelves. With the hope that there might be a file on the case, I looked around urgently.
“Oh.”
An exclamation escaped my lips unconsciously. In one section of the bookshelf, black files were lined up. The spines of the files simply had letters like , ,
Anthony Smith.
Thinking of his name, I hurriedly pulled out the first file. As expected, inside was a thick set of documents containing personal information along with photographs. Could this be… Pandora’s box?
I urgently flipped through the pages, searching for Anthony’s name. Anita Murray, Anthony Hall…….
Finally, I thought, and just as I was about to turn the next page with trembling hands.
Suddenly, along with an eerie feeling, a sweet scent wafted through the air. At the same time, as I froze in shock, a characteristically languid voice descended over me.
“Prosecutor.”
To me, who had stopped even breathing, Nathaniel Miller slowly leaned down and whispered in my ear.
“What are you doing here?”
Cold sweat ran down my back. Unconsciously, I let out an audible gulp.
An awkward and chilly silence hung in the air. I had prepared numerous excuses, but in this situation, none of them would work.
Why didn’t I hear a sound?
Even in this state, it made no sense. The fact that a man of his size could appear behind me so silently was equally baffling. No, right now, I need to think about how to get out of this situation first. What do I say? What should I say…
From behind my frozen back, Nathaniel reached out. And he took the file I was holding right out of my sight. I could only watch helplessly as he slid the file back into its place.
“Haa.”
Eventually, with a sigh, I made a decision. The only way out now was a frontal assault. Since I’d been caught anyway, what was the point of words? After a deep breath, I turned around. But at the same time, I regretted that action. Behind me was the bookshelf, and in front of me, Nathaniel Miller stood blocking the way like a wall. To make matters worse, the moment the hand that had put back the file rested on the bookshelf, I was completely trapped within his arms.
This time, I couldn’t even swallow. I just froze and looked up at him, and Nathaniel Miller tilted his head.
“Prosecutor.”
With a faint smile on his lips, he murmured lowly.
“What were you doing in my study?”
The sweet scent lingered even more intensely around us.