But I couldn’t say that to his face.
“He is doing well.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought he would be frustrated.”
“If you knew that, why make such threats?”
“Did it sound like a threat?”
“If you force someone to do something against their will, that’s no different from a threat.”
I knew it was cheeky, but let’s call a spade a spade—that was definitely a threat.
“You’re right. It is a threat.”
Ethan admitted it shamelessly. What a bastard.
“I really am a bastard.”
“……”
Seeing right through my thoughts, he curved his eyes. I pretended not to notice and went back to wiping the window.
“Maid, I am sincere. That is why I came to this mansion. I can no longer stand by and watch my friend, the Count of Bellunita, fall apart. To be precise, he’s useless like this.”
I sighed and turned to look at him. Ethan continued.
“It might sound cold, but Vincent is in a position where he has no choice but to make such judgments. This is a matter I cannot tolerate, even before Vincent’s well-being. I don’t want to see Vincent like that. After all, before we were friends, we were bound by the interests of our families.”
Ethan smiled bitterly. He didn’t look like the man who had been checking on Vincent’s condition and grieving just a moment ago. Now, he wore the face of a true villain. So, he meant he had done it on purpose?
“I hope you will coax Vincent well, Maid. So that he can leave his room.”
“I don’t have the power to do that.”
“Well. To me, you seem to have a great deal of power.”
“You are too kind.”
I bowed my head and focused back on the window. I heard laughter behind my back. I pretended not to hear it and went on with my work.
Once I finished scrubbing the floors, I organized my supplies. Then, checking the time, I headed to the library. I needed to pick a book to read to Vincent today.
Ethan followed me closely.
Why does he keep following me? Is he free? Even when I showed my discomfort, he didn’t care. Eventually, Ethan followed me into the library and peered around, asking, “What are you going to do here?”
“I’m going to pick a book.”
“Are you going to read it?”
“I am going to read it to Master.”
Ethan’s eyes went wide. I moved to the bookshelf filled with children’s stories and scanned the titles. I had taken everything from one shelf last time, but he had already finished them. The content was short, so it hadn’t taken long.
Fortunately, Vincent allowed me to read to him. This was one of the changes that had occurred over time. He didn’t just say it was boring like he did at first, nor did he act like he didn’t want to listen. He simply listened calmly, only occasionally pointing out my pronunciation and breathing.
*‘Too fast. From the listener’s perspective, it’s impossible to keep up.’*
*‘Ah, I apologize.’*
*‘You must read each syllable clearly to be understood. I need to be able to imagine it in my head to understand it. Make it so I can picture the scene.’*
*‘I will be more careful.’*
Reading alone and reading to someone else was definitely different. My eyes read the words faster than my mouth, and my mind painted pictures. But he was different. He had to collect the fragments through my voice and piece them together like a puzzle.
I had volunteered simply because I could read, but it wasn’t an easy task. Taking those children’s books to tease him had turned out to be a good choice. Even while telling those short stories, I had to be corrected dozens of times.
“You read to Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“And Vincent just listens quietly…?”
“He refused at first, but lately, he listens quietly. I had been reading children’s books, but I think I’ll go with a book with some thickness this time.”
“……”
I was thinking about moving past children’s books. As I scanned the shelf just above the fairy tales, I felt a sting on my cheek. I turned around to see Ethan making a strange face. His expression slowly twisted into a look of distress, his lips twitching. At that moment—
“Pfft-hahaha!”
A loud burst of laughter erupted.
I stared at Ethan with wide eyes. He was clutching his stomach, laughing his head off.
“That, that pride of his, pfft, a, a children’s book, hehe. Puh-huh-huh.”
Ethan hunched over, shaking with laughter. He didn’t stop, even under my bewildered gaze. I didn’t know what was so funny, but I just shrugged and lost interest. What I’ve felt while watching Ethan so far is that he is a very strange person. And it’s usually hard to understand the mind of a strange person.
More importantly, the book for Vincent today was the priority. I carefully selected a book, opening several that were thick and densely packed with text.
“This one seems good.”
Ethan, having stopped laughing, pulled out a book and handed it to me. Looking at the title, it seemed to be an adventure story. It wasn’t too thin or too thick, so it seemed suitable.
“This is a book Vincent enjoyed reading when he was young.”
“Ah.”
He was just talking about being bound by family interests a moment ago, but I suppose friends are friends after all. Since he knows Vincent’s tastes so well. I bowed to thank him and accepted the book politely.
“Vincent likes adventure novels. Since he was a child, he read like a madman whenever it was an adventure story. Especially stories about traveling to distant lands. He hates love stories. He won’t even look at them, saying they’re boring.”
“Thank you. I will keep that in mind.”
“I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
Pardon? As I looked up, Ethan was smiling with rare tenderness. It wasn’t the greasy look he used to flirt, but a look of pure enjoyment and relief.
“It’s a relief to have someone like you by his side.”
What does that mean?
“Reading children’s books to that Vincent, of all people.”
Why, the children’s books? As I tilted my head, he covered his mouth to hide the laughter threatening to break out again.
“What do you think, Maid? Do you think Vincent will be able to leave his room?”
“Well. How could I dare to fathom Master’s deep heart?”
“Shall we make a bet?”
It was a sudden proposal. A bet? When I asked in surprise, Ethan continued.
“If you can get Vincent to step out of his room, even just once, I’ll grant you one wish.”
Ethan stepped closer and held out his hand. I stared at it blankly before shaking my head.
“Mr. Christopher. I don’t know why you are saying such things, but as I just said, I have no power. I am merely a humble maid; how could I get Master to come out?”
The room was his only sanctuary now. He detested stepping even one foot outside of it. No, he wouldn’t even get out of bed. Of course, he couldn’t live like that forever, but it wasn’t easy to expect that from him right now.
“That is why this is a bet between you and me.”
He snatched my hand and pulled it up. He didn’t even blink while holding my lowly hand. In fact, he squeezed it tight, as if to say he wouldn’t let go.
“I want you to do it. For Vincent’s sake.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because you seem like the easiest person here?”
What did you say, you son of a bitch? Annoyed, I tried to pull my hand away, but he held on tighter. His strong grip pressed into my skin, making my hand ache. I winced with one eye and glared at him.
“Let go.”
“I want to place my expectations on you.”
“And if I refuse?”
“I’d prefer you didn’t. I want to remain a good person in your eyes.”
Now it was an open threat. Even though I was bewildered, he smiled as if nothing was wrong.
“Since it’s a bet, there should also be an assumption that I win. Hmm, if I win, then…”
His eyes rolled to the side. He seemed to be thinking for a moment before they fixed back on me. With curved eyes, he left a kiss on the back of my hand, just like when he first arrived here.
“You’ll have to give me your head, Maid.”
*Slice.* He made a gesture of cutting his throat. His mischievous smile was, chillingly, the face of a villain.
Why, me? Why me?
“Hey. I’m just a maid who came here to serve the Master.”
Ethan only laughed happily at the sight of my disgusted face. By now, his smiling face felt horrific. Who had called him a kind person? He only pretended to be kind; in reality, he was a man whose inner thoughts were impossible to read. I couldn’t understand any of it—why he would go out of his way to come here and threaten Vincent Bellunita that he would make his blindness public, or why he was proposing such an absurd bet to me.
Was he trying to help Vincent, or was he asking for help for himself?
And that confusion extended to Vincent.
“Master.”
Throughout the time I was reading the book, Vincent said nothing. Sitting with his back against the wall, listening to my voice, he was unusually quiet today. His head was bowed, hidden by his hair, making it impossible to read his expression. His slumped shoulders made him look drained of energy.
The book I’d gone to the trouble of bringing was useless now. Seeing him so dejected made my own energy drain away as well. To examine his face, I leaned my waist forward and lowered my head, calling out “Master?” but he still said nothing.
“Cheer up. There will be a way.”
“……Don’t say such nonsense.”
Finally, a reaction. But his voice sounded so despondent. It was an unfamiliar side of him. I would have preferred him to shout or lose his temper like usual. Being like this just makes my heart grow weak.
“Why is it nonsense? You just have to show them that you are making an effort.”
“And how am I supposed to show that? Should I show them myself looking pathetic, stumbling and groping the floor? Then I shall show them to my heart’s content.”
“Master.”
“It’s coercion. He’s just saying he’ll announce my condition.”
He covered his face with both hands. His body, hunched over as much as possible, was agonizing over the reality of his state. Sorrow was swallowing him whole once again.
“Don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying.”
“Your heart is crying.”
“…….”
Vincent let out ragged, labored breaths. I was anxious that he might have another breakdown. It was true that I worried whenever this happened, as he was fragile in the face of shock.
*‘I suppose I would have to offer up the maid’s head.’*
Moreover, the fact that this bet was forced into existence by Ethan weighed heavily on me.
Eventually, after a long sigh, I looked around at his condition, shifting my gaze here and there. Then, I gently took his index fingertip and pulled it downward; he complied and let his hand fall away from his face. His shadowed features were revealed. Just as he’d said, he wasn’t crying. But that withered expression was even more heartbreaking to see.
“Let’s think of a way together.”