“Have you used this before?”
“Sometimes, when I was young. It was stifling being trapped in the mansion. Whenever it became too much, I used this path to slip out.”
“In secret?”
“In secret.”
I giggled. The image of a young Vincent Bellunita opening this door felt absurd. Did he run into the world beyond the iron gate with a look of annoyance, his brows permanently furrowed in irritation?
He tapped my forehead, a silent command for me to stop.
“This path is known only to the family. Now, it is only known to me.”
“And now, I know it too.”
“Yes. Now it’s just you and me. No one else. Just as you said—a secret door.”
The phrasing had a nice ring to it. A secret door. I turned the words over in my mind, toying with the cold iron of the gate.
“Shall we go into town like this?”
“What? Why?”
“You said you wanted to go somewhere far away.”
“Still, not the town. Besides, until recently, you were terrified to leave your room. Why the sudden courage?”
“You were the one who said I couldn’t stay like this forever.”
“That’s true, but weren’t you worried about being spotted?”
“That’s right.”
“Then that’s all the more reason not to go. Let’s just walk in the forest.”
I shook my head firmly. I didn’t need any trouble. If we were discovered, what then? I took his hand and turned back toward the path we had come from.
“But how did you know the way? You can’t see, yet you walked so confidently.”
“The trees are marked.”
He stopped and pulled my hand, pressing my palm against a rough trunk. A small, seal-like impression sat there. It was a texture meant to be felt, not seen.
“Follow the trees with this mark, and it leads to the door.”
“Wow.”
It felt like a real adventure.
“I love this. It’s so exciting.”
“It would be better if you never had to use it.”
“Why?”
“Using this path means something is dangerous.”
That was true. I nodded, tracing the seal on the bark.
“Aren’t you curious about the town? It’s quite large and famous.”
“I am. But we cannot afford to be in danger.”
“No one will look at a man who cannot see and think, ‘That’s the Count of Bellunita.’ And you are by my side.”
I turned to look at him. I couldn’t understand it.
“Why do you keep wanting to go out? It’s not as if you actually want to go.”
“That’s right. I don’t. But… I want to try being brave. Because, as you said, I can’t live like this forever.”
“And you want to find that courage right now?”
“There has to be a starting point.”
Why does the starting point have to be now? It was an incomprehensible stubbornness. He had been acting out of character lately, and this drastic change worried me.
However, Vincent’s face was resolute. Even as he showed signs of internal distress, his words remained firm. Looking at him, I couldn’t refuse. Honestly, I wanted to see the town, too.
“I understand. Then I’ll go get our hats.”
“Hats? Why?”
“That is…”
I preferred to wear a hat when I went out. If the place was crowded, I needed to cover my face. My bangs helped, but it didn’t feel safe enough. And it seemed better for Vincent to wear one, too.
“I think we’ll be less noticeable.”
“We can just buy them when we get there.”
“Then it’ll be too late. Please, wait a moment.”
“Don’t go.”
He gripped my hand tighter. Afraid of being left alone, his stoic expression crumbled. I patted the back of his hand to soothe him.
“It’s safe here, so you’ll be fine. You said no one else knows about this place, right? Just wait a tiny moment. I’ll be back in a flash.”
“…”
“I promise! I’ll run so fast my feet won’t even touch the ground. Okay?”
“…”
“Hmm, count to a hundred. I’ll be back before then.”
Vincent wore an absurd expression. It was impossible to return within a hundred counts, but as I kept reassuring him, he eventually gave me permission.
“Be back before you reach a hundred.”
“Yes!”
I answered brightly and carefully let go of his hand. Fortunately, he shed his anxiety and stood calmly. I glanced at him and turned away. I could hear him whispering *one, two, three* behind me. He was actually going to count.
Does he really believe I can return before he hits a hundred? By the time he reached ten, I was frantically pushing through the bushes toward the annex.
I broke through the thicket and ran out of the forest, heading straight for the back door. When I entered, a heavy, unusual silence greeted me.
Why was it so quiet? The annex was usually still, but today, a strange tension hung in the air. I swallowed a dry lump in my throat and tiptoed toward the stairs. I needed to grab the hats and get out.
A faint sound caught my attention. A voice. It was close.
Confused, I crept toward the stairs and descended. In the entrance hall, between the main door and the stairs, a group of people had gathered.
The first thing I saw was the back of a tall, imposing man. Beside him stood the butler, and opposite them was Isabella.
The man’s black hair was slicked back, making him look like a stranger. Was he a guest for Vincent? I stared in confusion until I locked eyes with Isabella. Her eyes widened for a fleeting moment before she regained her composure.
“Where is the Count of Bellunita?”
“The Master is currently out.”
“Call him back.”
A firm, imperative tone. A voice accustomed to giving orders. As I wondered who he could be, the man turned his head. I ducked behind the corner, an instinctive need to hide seizing me.
I waited a beat and peeked again. The man was staring toward the main staircase, tapping his cane against the floor in rhythmic, impatient strikes. A stern, dangerous stranger.
He was like a snake. A venomous one, scouting for prey. His dark brown eyes gleamed with undisguised killing intent, bold enough to show it in another man’s house.
“This is troublesome.”
“I only need to meet the Count. I don’t know where he crawled off to, but bring him to me.”
“…”
“How long do you intend to make me wait?”
Only then did I realize. The reason Isabella sent Vincent away was this man. Was it because of his condition? No, it felt like something far more grave.
Could it be…?
Isabella’s gaze met mine once more. I turned and fled toward the back door, trying to deaden the sound of my footsteps. Cold sweat trickled down my back. My heart pounded against my ribs like a trapped bird.
I didn’t look back. I dove into the forest, struggling through the overgrowth until I found the seals on the trees that led to the secret door.
Vincent startled at my presence, listening intently. I approached him, gasping for air.
“Master.”
“You passed a hundred.”
Realizing it was me, he looked sullen. Yet, he reached out urgently, as if he had been waiting in agony.
“W-who is the person who came to the mansion?”
“…….”
His steps came to an abrupt halt. The sullenness vanished, replaced by a sharp, piercing tension. As I looked at him, the pieces in my mind fell into place.
“Who…… is it?”
“James…… James Christopher.”
Ethan and Lucas’s older brother.
The man who caused Vincent Bellunita’s blindness.
He had come to the mansion. That was why Vincent Bellunita had fled.
“So, it’s true that he’s here.”
He staggered. I stepped forward to support him. His complexion was deathly pale. I looked for somewhere for him to rest, but the ground was all we had. I took off my coat and spread it on the earth, sitting him down. It bothered me that it was a gift from Isabella, but I couldn’t let him sit on the cold, hard ground.
His breathing grew ragged, and for a moment I feared a seizure, but he caught his breath. Looking exhausted, he pressed his fingers between his brows.
“For what reason did he come?”
“He must have come to check on my condition.”
“Hasn’t he come before?”
“This is the first time he has come in person since I ended up like this. He sent people before. He must have heard I recently met Ethan, Violet, and Lucas. Did you see his face?”
“No. I only watched from afar. I felt I shouldn’t go.”
“I see…… You did well.”
Vincent looked troubled. His dull eyes remained fixed on the ground. Watching his face, swirled with complex emotions, I sat down beside him.
“We have the hats. Shall we head to the village?”
“I’m not going. I’ve lost all my energy.”
He leaned his head heavily onto my shoulder.
“Then should we go somewhere else?”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“What are you referring to?”
“Here.”
I looked around the small space. Behind us was the secret door, enclosed by thickets. The space was free of noise, free of prying eyes—nothing but tranquility. Just him and me. The chirping of birds felt like a mercy.
“No.”
“Then stay here. Just like this.”
He closed his eyes. I placed the hat I was holding gently onto his head.