“Stop staring.”
“Pardon?”
“Your gaze stings.”
I had been checking on his condition throughout my reading. No, I was checking on him every single second. He must have noticed; he furrowed his brow.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to die.”
“…….”
“I’m fine.”
*I am truly fine.* He said it with a firm, calm voice. While I wanted to find relief in those words, the anxiety rooted deep in my heart grew with each passing day.
His profile, turned toward the window, looked resigned, perhaps even at peace. It was as if he had known this situation was coming for a long time.
I worried about Violet, who had left so abruptly that day. Even her letters, which once arrived every other day, had ceased entirely. When I asked Ethan Christopher, he assured me that she had returned safely. Yet, hearing that she cried in her room every night made my heart heavy. How hard it must be for her, trapped in that solitude. I considered writing to her, but I couldn’t bring myself to—I feared stirring up unnecessary trouble.
Noticing my distress, Ethan Christopher patted my shoulder.
“Violet is strong. She’s the strongest among us, so don’t worry. She’ll regain her strength soon.”
“Yes.”
I desperately hoped his words were true, but this was no simple matter. All I could do was pray that Violet would suffer no further hurt, and that no more tragedies would befall these people.
It was during my routine—returning from delivering the laundry to Renika and collecting fresh linens—that I heard him.
“Paula.”
I turned. Lucas stood there, already dressed for travel.
Since the incident, I had barely seen him. As Vincent Bellunita holed himself up in his room, Lucas had rarely emerged from his own.
Ethan Christopher had looked harried when he left the estate a few days ago. He had met with Vincent Bellunita before departing, only to emerge and offer me a hollow goodbye.
“Please take care of Vincent Bellunita.”
His voice had been drained of energy, his face heavy with remorse. Seeing him so unlike himself, I had reached out to tap his arm. Whether my comfort reached him, Ethan Christopher had only offered a faint, tired beam.
With Ethan Christopher gone, only Lucas had remained in the mansion.
This was our first real conversation in a long time.
“Lucas, where are you going?”
“I’m planning to return home tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes, that’s what we decided. My brother was busy with work, so he left early.”
I was surprised, but I nodded.
“Will you be alright?”
Seeing James Christopher earlier had reminded me of Lucas trembling in fear—not just the fear of a person, but something rooted in an older, deeper terror. And the things he had said… Ah.
The recent upheaval had made me forget, if only for a moment. It wasn’t something I should have let slip from my mind. I flushed with guilt, but Lucas seemed not to notice. He continued calmly.
“I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me.”
“……It’s a shame that you’re leaving.”
“Really?”
He asked with a mischievous smile, but I nodded immediately. It was the truth; his presence had filled this quiet mansion.
He smiled deeper.
“Then, will you spend today with me?”
“Today?”
“Yes.”
My eyes widened. Lucas held out his hand.
“Give me your time today, Paula.”
*Because it’s the last time.*
When he said that, I couldn’t refuse. After securing Isabella’s permission and hurriedly getting ready, we headed for the village below the mansion—a place I had longed to see but never dared visit. Somehow, I was finally here, walking by his side.
Lively sounds greeted us at the entrance. The village was vast, filled with magnificent, grand buildings. Though they shared a color palette, their varying shapes made the place feel more like a sprawling city than a village.
The streets were swarming with life. Women gathered in clusters to chat, while small children darted through the crowd, laughing.
As we ventured deeper into the shopping district, merchants raised their voices, vying for attention. It was entirely unlike the village where I had lived. Fascinated, I turned my head left and right, lost in the wonder of it all, until Lucas caught my hand. When I looked up in surprise, he smiled nonchalantly and held it tighter.
“You shouldn’t get lost.”
It was a cringeworthy touch, but I didn’t pull away. With so many people, the risk was high—and besides, it was our last day.
“Paula, this way.”
He pulled me toward a street stall where several women were already squatting, examining the wares. Colorful, flamboyant ornaments lay spread across a cloth, catching the light. They were all beautiful.
Lucas picked one up—a hair accessory fashioned from two small flower buds circling a large bloom, all wreathed in delicate vines. He placed it in my hair.
“It looks pretty.”
“Oh, thank you.”
I touched the ornament, admiring it. When the vendor praised its quality and offered a discount, Lucas reached into his jacket. I quickly stopped him.
“I’ll give it to you as a gift.”
“Seeing it is enough.”
“I want to give it to you.”
“I am truly fine. More than that, aren’t you hungry?”
As I subtly shifted the topic, Lucas narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction, but I ignored it and pointed toward a nearby restaurant. When I insisted I was hungry, he sighed and pulled his hand back from his coat.
“That place over there is tastier.”
“Then let’s go.”
I quickly removed the hair accessory and nudged his back.
The restaurant was grand and crowded—clearly a famous establishment. Lucas skillfully found us a seat and ordered.
A short while later, enough food to cover the entire table arrived. I stared in disbelief. Who was supposed to eat all this? Everything was entirely new to me.
I picked up the fish dish nearest to me. My eyes widened as it melted on my tongue. Goodness. I took another piece, then dove into the meat dish beside it. It was equally divine.
After wolfing down the meal, I felt full to bursting. It was almost a shame so much was left; I wished I could take the leftovers back to the mansion.
“Was it tasty?”
“Yes. Extremely.”
I was so full I could barely walk.
“Is there anywhere else you want to go?”
“Hmm. I just want to look around the village.”
“Good. Then shall we?”
Lucas took my hand again. This time, I gripped his back. He smiled, truly happy, and led me on.
We walked, our hands joined. The village was larger than I had imagined, full of fascinating corners. I lost him briefly while gawking at a shop, and we bought street food to share. We took a wrong turn into a strange alleyway and had to scramble out, laughing as we went. When my legs finally grew weary, I squatted on the roadside to rest.
Even the hardships were enjoyable. For this moment, I decided to bury my complex thoughts. I had to—if only to keep the crushing sadness at bay, for his sake and my own.
It was a brief moment of reprieve.
Before I knew it, the sun began to set. I worried about Vincent Bellunita, who would be waking up, and the dinner preparations that awaited me. It was time to return.
I looked up at the sunset sky, then at Lucas. The vermilion glow washed over his face. Sensing my gaze, he turned and smiled, but perhaps because of the fading light, his expression was tinged with bitterness.
We returned to the mansion before the last of the sun slipped away.
“Paula. I enjoyed today.”
“Me too.”
I lifted the corners of my mouth. It had been truly enjoyable, a welcome comfort during such a depressing time. Yet, a sense of regret gnawed at me—once Lucas left, a true silence would descend upon the house.
“I must go in now to prepare Master’s dinner.”
I quickened my pace, worried Vincent might be waiting.
“Paula.”
Lucas called my name. I turned to find him rooted to the spot, watching me. The sun settled behind his back, veiling his face in shadow.
“Lucas?”
“Paula, you know…”
“Yes?”
He paused, hesitating. I waited patiently.
“I will never forget this moment.”
A smile lingered in his voice. Though I couldn’t see his face clearly, I could imagine the expression. Was that all he wanted to say? It seemed so minor, yet, if we had another chance, I would have loved to go out with him again—perhaps with Vincent, Ethan Christopher, and Violet all together next time. Imagining that day, I smiled back.
“Me too.”
I turned and headed toward the mansion.
I went straight to the kitchen to prepare Vincent’s meal. Despite rushing, he refused the food, claiming he had no appetite.
“Just one bite, please.”
“I really have no appetite.”
“But still…”
“I want to sleep, so leave.”
He had been sleeping all day. I tried to coax him into eating, but he was firm, turning his back to me and curling into the wall. I felt a pang of regret; I should have brought back something delicious from the village for him.
I didn’t press him further. Leaving the meal on the nightstand, I stepped out.
I sighed, returned to my room, and changed out of my outing clothes. When I smoothed my hair and stepped back into the hallway, night had fully descended.
Looking out the window, Lucas was gone. He must have returned to his room, I reasoned. Still, I scanned the darkness for no particular reason. Then, worrying about his dinner, I went to check on him.
I knocked, but there was no response. *Tap-tap.* Silence. “Lucas? I’m coming in.”
I opened the door. The room was empty—not a trace of him remained. Puzzled, I looked out the hallway window again. The spot where he had stood moments ago was vacant. I searched the dining room and all his usual haunts, but he was nowhere to be found.
Had he already left? But his belongings were still in his room. I checked everywhere, but Lucas was gone.