Chapter 4
In the corner of the spacious balcony, pots of bamboo and cypress were planted. I hid behind the flower pots as the owner of the footsteps entered.
Holding my breath, I crouched low behind the densely clustered bamboo.
Luckily, it seemed like they didn't notice me and had come here seeking solitude. If they were a guest, it was natural for them to enjoy the banquet. Why come all the way out here for some peace?
"Haa..."
When I finally dared to open my tightly shut eyes, I saw a young man standing by the railing, holding a glass.
No, he wasn't a man; he was just a boy. The moonlight illuminated his face, revealing his youthful features. He was tall, maybe in his late teens at most.
It was quite a cliché scene to see a nobleman brooding alone on a balcony during a mansion banquet, but I couldn't help but notice how handsome this boy was.
I got lost in my thoughts, momentarily forgetting the danger I was in, and stared at him trembling in the moonlight.
A breeze blew, gently tousling his soft golden hair. His eyelashes were also golden, fanning over his eyes, which were a deep shade of blue.
He wore a fine deep blue tailcoat that accentuated his well-built frame. And those eyes, his sharp nose, and the smooth, unblemished jawline were simply captivating.
Oh, you must be from an impressive family to be so stunning. Many young girls would swoon over you. Just like our Lethias and Benya, they have grown into handsome young men too.
If only they were dressed well... No, stop these improper thoughts! It's disrespectful to compare those two troublesome boys with such a beautiful being!
Just as I was caught up in my musings, I heard another set of footsteps approaching. Who else was coming? I quickly shrunk my body and covered my mouth with my hand, trying to stay hidden.
The boy, who looked like a flower doll in the night breeze, turned his gaze towards me, towards the flower pots.
He paused.
Those deep purple eyes seemed to lock with mine, and I felt like my heart might leap out of my chest at any moment.
Had I been caught? Would they expose me? Oh, Duke, madam, mother! Please protect me!
"Your Highness?"
Your Highness... What? The voice sounded strangely familiar.
Terrified, I saw Viscount Hippolyte slowly approaching the boy from the other side of the balcony.
The boy, who had been gazing at me all along, finally turned his attention to the approaching Viscount.
"Ah, Viscount."
"Where have you been? Why are you here alone?"
"... I was just enjoying the scenery."
It turned out that the handsome boy I had encountered was not just a ducal prince but the Imperial prince. No, why did Jerome come here? I shouldn't consider this fortunate, though.
"The glass conservatory of the Serpente House is famous for its romantic origins. Would you like to take a look around?"
"Next time. I'll come and visit."
As if my desperate prayers were answered, the prince-like boy turned away and left the balcony without noticing me. Viscount Hippolyte followed him, or at least that's what it seemed.
"Phew..."
It appeared that everyone enjoyed sighing alone. Jerome, showing an uncharacteristic sign of fatigue, took out a cigarette and lit it.
Seeing this, I finally took the opportunity to move and step out from behind the flower pot. If not now, there might not be another chance.
"What..."
I won't go into how Jerome's expression changed when he saw me suddenly appear from the corner of the balcony.
His jade-colored eyes widened, and in the next moment, I found myself trembling as his rough grip tightly held my shoulder.
"What were you thinking? How on earth did you... How dare you come out of there... What if someone saw you? If His Highness noticed you..."
"My lady is unwell!"
My trembling stopped abruptly as I screamed back at him while he was half-yelling at me. Jerome's hand on my shoulder, he stared into my eyes with an intense and eerie gaze.
Despite considering the possibility that Harris had delivered the note I wrote, and Jerome had chosen to ignore it, I clung to him.
At least last winter, he seemed sincere enough to promise that he would find a way to free his niece and nephew.
"What..."
"Lady Estelle is sick. She's been running a fever
for four days now, and if you don't call the doctor immediately, she'll
die!"
* * *
As soon as I had left, I was forcefully dragged back by the lunch attendant.
Thud! The mirror door slammed shut behind me as soon as I was thrown back inside. The brothers, looking visibly pale, rushed towards me, stumbling and falling on the floor.
"Sasha!"
"What happened to you?!"
Evidently, they had woken up and realized I was missing, causing quite an uproar. I took hold of their outstretched hands and managed to stand up, my mouth barely able to open.
"Well, I went out to find your uncle."
"What? How did you manage..."
"I used the cart. I hid under it and made my way out."
Lethias' jaw dropped, his sky-blue eyes wide with amazement and disbelief. It was as if he was wondering how I could dare such a crazy thing. Benya also stared at me in awe.
"So, what happened? What did you do... with Uncle?"
The mirror door, which had been slammed shut earlier, opened once more, interrupting Lethias' question.
Viscount Hippolyte and Harris entered side by side, both looking stern and serious. Without even sparing us a glance, they headed straight upstairs.
The three of us exchanged glances for a moment and then followed them. As we ascended, the stifling heat in our hideout became even more intense.
"Estelle, my dear."
"...sha? Sasha?"
In the bedroom illuminated by candlesticks and lamps, Estelle looked like a young ghost, blinking helplessly. It seemed she hadn't recognized her uncle.
I walked over to the side of her bed and gently placed my hand on Estelle's sweaty forehead. As always, her fever was alarmingly high.
"Viscount, my lady needs to see a doctor. As you can see, her symptoms can't be solved with simple home remedies. We must get her to the hospital immediately!"
Jerome, who had been gazing at his niece's lifeless figure with a dazed expression, slowly raised his eyes and looked at me.
His jade-colored eyes seemed unfocused as if he couldn't hear what I was saying. So, I desperately repeated myself.
"Indeed, there's no other way. We must hurry; at this rate, Lady Estelle's life is at risk!"
"..."
"Viscount!"
Jerome remained unresponsive, but the one who reacted was none other than Harris, standing beside him like a stone statue.
Slap!
The sound of the slap echoed in my ears, and for a moment, I thought my skull had shockingly cracked. First, the shock hit me, followed by the searing pain.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat and whimpered, clutching my throbbing head. It felt like lightning had struck right in front of my eyes. Ouch! My brain!
Harris, who had mercilessly struck me on the head with the book he was holding, turned to look at Jerome as I sat there in pain. He spoke in a disapproving tone.
"Didn't I just tell you to leave it to me? The banquet was in full swing, and at a time like this, you stepped out and..."
"Hey! Who are you to hit her?!"
Both Harris and Jerome flinched at the same time, turning their heads to see what was happening. I rubbed my head and looked up.
I saw Lethias, looking pale and rigid, and Benya,
advancing forward with a fiery glint in his darkened blue eyes.
"Who are you to lay your hands on her?!"
The yelling seemed to reverberate in my ears, adding to the already throbbing pain. We're in front of a sick person, for heaven's sake!
Harris, the one who had been willing to resort to violence in front of the patient, looked somewhat embarrassed for a moment, no longer acting like the superior he was.
Benya clearly didn't appreciate that reaction.
Crash.
The lamp fell to the floor and shattered. It happened so quickly that I had no chance to stop it. Even if I had tried, it wouldn't have made a difference.
Benya was just about to turn fifteen. No matter how much he had grown, he was still just a boy. And the person he was attacking was an adult twice his size.
"Who are you to touch Sasha?!"
Harris staggered as if taken aback by the sudden attack, then, as if unable to contain himself, he grabbed the boy's arm and pushed him hard.
Thud!
A scream escaped my mouth.
"Benya!"
Benya, who had flown and hit the table, quickly got back on his feet. But Lethias was even faster.
In the blink of an eye, he snatched the candlestick from the table and rushed forward, brandishing it fiercely.
Thud!
If Harris hadn't lifted and blocked his arm by a hair's breadth, the rusty five-tiered candlestick would have crushed his brain, staining the carpet.
As the lamp and candlestick were gone, darkness enveloped the room.
Amidst the chaos, Jerome remained in a daze, seemingly having no intention of stopping or protecting his nephews. The runaway soul had returned with the onset of darkness.
Suddenly, there was a rush of movement in the darkness, followed by hurried footsteps descending the stairs.
Finally, there was a thud, and the majestic sound of the mirror door slamming shut marked the end of the tumult.
Silence enveloped the room. Only the low moans and rough breathing of Estelle, who was sick, filled the void.
I carefully opened a nearby shelf drawer and took out a match and a candle, barely illuminating the bedroom now turned into disarray.
Shards of shattered lamps were scattered everywhere, and Lethias stood in the middle, holding a candlestick in one hand, gasping for breath. Behind him, Benya staggered closer.
"Are you okay?"
Are you okay? I tried to smile, but it seemed my facial muscles were paralyzed, and I couldn't manage it.
"Am I all right…?"
The words sounded like they were about to be choked out in tears, not even sounding like my own voice.
We said nothing more. Instead, I turned on more lights and started mopping the floor. The two boys diligently helped, one holding the candlestick while the other swept up debris with a broom.
Our slippers were in tatters, barely staying on our feet, so we made sure not to leave any fragments behind.
After cleaning up, I drank some water and returned to Estelle's side.
As I gently wiped her feverish face and neck with a cold, damp towel, the two boys pulled a chair close and sat down, whispering to each other.
"… Are you still hung up on your birthday present?"
"… It's a keepsake from our father, you idiot."
Then they pleaded with me to tell them everything I had seen and what had happened outside.
I recounted everything except the incident when I was hiding on the balcony and almost got caught by a certain prince.
The night of my reckless adventure passed like that.
Even though it was a life-threatening gamble, all that remained were unanswered questions.
Will Viscount Hippolyte really bring a doctor?
Has he truly been unaware of Estelle's condition for the past four days?
How will Harris react?
What if they decide to retaliate by tampering with our food?
No, perhaps they won't do anything at all...
Or what if they decide to kill us all...?
Even if my perilous adventure had ultimately achieved nothing, I couldn't blame Benya and Lethias.
Regardless of whether I face death again someday or if I'm reincarnated into another world to live a new life, the events of that night will never be forgotten and will forever be imprinted on my soul.
I will cherish these memories for a long time to come.
* * *
Sadly, no doctor came despite our hopes. However, among our misfortunes, we were at least spared from having our meals cut off.
The very next day after the commotion, an emergency box arrived, along with a new food cart. Inside the box were a thermometer, ointment, a bottle of painkillers, and bandages.
Could these few items truly cure Estelle's terrible fever? Did they honestly believe that these would be enough?
Estelle's body temperature hovered around 40 degrees, and watching her struggle to breathe while I fed her liquid food and painkillers broke my heart.
I couldn't bear the thought of losing Estelle forever. The fear gnawed at my soul.
I spent the entire day by her bedside, singing lullabies my mother used to sing to me and whispering the stories Estelle loved.
Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. I repeated the story of Rapunzel the most.
All those stories had happy endings, but in our reality, there was no prince to defeat and save us from a greedy demon king.
Though I didn't catch the fever myself, the days wore on, and all of us started to look like sickly figures.
Lethias, Benya, and I endured each day with ashen eyes, pale complexions, and dark circles under our eyes.
We couldn't bear to take our eyes off Estelle even for a moment. We ate together in the bedroom and fanned each other to endure the sweltering heat.
After much effort, Estelle's fever finally started to subside for the first time in 15 days.
But the problem persisted, as her temperature would fluctuate. One moment, it seemed like her body temperature had returned to normal, only for it to rise again the next morning.
It was a brutal summer, and even as the end of summer approached, and Benya's birthday had passed, Estelle's condition didn't improve.
She looked even more fragile and delicate, like a stick that could snap at any moment.
Her once chubby cheeks had disappeared, and her sky-blue eyes now appeared sunken in her face, lacking the same brightness they once held.
Gone were the eyes that used to dance with hope and dreams for the future, even in the face of adversity. Those eyes, which once shone with daydreams, never returned.
𝔼𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝟛:
𝔹𝕝𝕦𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕣𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝔹𝕒𝕣𝕓𝕖𝕕 ℂ𝕒𝕘𝕖
ᴛ/ɴ: ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ~
Comments
Post a Comment