Chapter Title: Tears
"..."
Cesare, who was descending the stairs, unconsciously stopped. He recalled the words spoken in the carriage.
*"By the way, let's see how ladylike my sister can be."*
A lady neither cries nor shouts recklessly nor runs around wildly. She would never break a bottle to protect herself. Cesare ran his hand through his hair with a low sigh.
"Needlessly stubborn."
Perhaps because Adelaide was trembling with genuine despair, no one approached her any longer. The atmosphere, which had flared up like oil on fire, cooled down. Cesare, who had reached the first floor, slowly walked toward her. People recognized him and cleared the way. Finally, Cesare reached Adelaide. As he got closer, Adelaide's appearance became clearer. Her hair was disheveled, one of her shoulder straps had slipped down, and she was breathing so hard that it wouldn't have been surprising if she fainted on the spot. Her unfocused eyes were staring into space. She didn't seem to notice his presence.
"..."
The sight was far from pleasing. Cesare frowned and sighed. His head throbbed.
"The lady wants to leave. Clean it up."
As soon as he finished speaking, people wearing white bauta masks emerged from the crowd, controlling the area and clearing the way to the entrance. It was then that focus returned to Adelaide's eyes. Her yellow eyes widened slowly, watching as the crowd that had refused to budge quickly returned to their places.
"..."
Adelaide, who had been staring blankly at the scene, eventually turned her head towards Cesare.
*...Isn't it?*
That was the question in Adelaide's eyes. Cesare met her gaze with a humorless face. The deliberation was brief. He was Cesare Bonaparte, and Adelaide Bibi was a shoeshine girl. There was no place in his world for him to explain his actions to appease a mere shoeshine girl.
"I thought you were curious about high society, so I wanted to show you."
Adelaide's eyes widened. Cesare gave the brightest smile he could muster.
"Did you enjoy it?"
Suddenly, tears began to fall from Adelaide's eyes. It was abrupt and silent.
"..."
Cesare stopped smiling without realizing it. For a moment, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. However, the tears falling from behind Adelaide's mask were real. She cried endlessly, as if her soul had been wounded. Despair, betrayal, and misery alternated in her eyes, reflecting the chandelier's light. Cesare had only one question.
*Why?*
This was the woman who had once brandished scissors at his throat. Being from Kimora, she must have seen and heard a lot. Moreover, she had always taken his teasing in stride until now. He thought she would just frown and move on. Cesare asked without realizing it, with a blank face.
"...Is this something to cry about?"
"...!"
At his words, Adelaide clenched her fists tightly and ran out of the hall. Tears splashed down from between the gaps in her mask.
"...I will escort the lady."
Aegir, who had sprung from the crowd, immediately followed her. Cesare watched the direction Adelaide had disappeared to and then silently took out a cigar. He lit it and stood still for a long time. The image of the woman who had always remained composed, collapsing at his words, lingered in his mind.
"..."
Cesare's hand clenched the cigar tightly. He felt more wretched, and he couldn't understand why.
---
Adelaide sat crouched in a dark alley behind the building, crying endlessly. Despair filled her whole body, and shame seemed to burn it. Cesare probably knew. That Adelaide had been following him. Or even the deal with Lucrezia. It must have been a warning. If you overstep your bounds, I can throw you into hell with just a flick of my finger.
"Haa..."
Adelaide wept, holding back her sobs by sucking in air. Did her desperate struggle to survive seem so laughable? The most humiliating part was that she had actually believed for a moment. That Cesare would protect her. So she had really let her guard down. She didn't even think about being cautious. Because Cesare was there. Because she was his sister. She had foolishly believed someone would protect her.
"Ugh... Ugh. Ugh..."
Adelaide had prepared for death amidst all those hands. She had thought of things more terrifying than death. Having lived at the bottom in Kimora, death was never the worst for her. Then she saw the bottle, and in that moment, Adelaide had two choices. Either commit suicide with it or resist to the end and be dragged to the depths of hell. But she couldn't choose either. Because she had to be ladylike... because Cesare had told her to. Just in case. If this was his test, Adelaide would lose the last thread of salvation. Would he even know how she felt as she stared at the last bottle of salvation, silently approaching hell?
A tearful laugh burst out. Cesare would probably never know. The head of the powerful Bonaparte family could never imagine the despair of those at the bottom of society. He couldn't even guess what it was like to live a life not in one's own hands, let alone experience it.
Tears filled the mask she hadn't taken off and fell to the ground. Adelaide began to laugh while crying.
*Look at this. I obey so well. So there was no need to go this far. If he had just given a hint, she would have gone back to being a compliant shoeshine girl...*
Just then, she heard small footsteps nearby.
"..."
Startled, Adelaide raised her head to see Aegir. Seeing his more complicated than usual expression and the bauta mask in his hand, Adelaide gave a bitter smile. Aegir, who had been watching her with trembling blue eyes, took off his tabard and wrapped it around her, saying,
"...He had me stationed nearby. There wouldn't have been any real danger."
At his words, Adelaide leaned back and laughed loudly. She looked up at the sky.
*In the heavens and seas, the Goddess. On earth, Bonaparte.*
Her new brother was so omnipotent that a mere shoeshine girl could neither fathom nor should try to fathom his intentions. Knowing this, she had still been momentarily entranced by a springtime dream. They were nobles and never saw those below them as fellow humans.
*Fool! Foolish Adelaide Bibi!*
After laughing silently for a while, Adelaide finally took off her mask. When her face was revealed, Aegir flinched and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. Adelaide silently accepted it and wiped her cheeks.
"Should I wash it and return it?"
"...No."
"Alright."
Adelaide released her grip, and the handkerchief fluttered away into the dark alley. Aegir watched it with a peculiar look.
"Let's go back."
"..."
At Adelaide's words, Aegir extended his arm. With a faint smile, Adelaide accepted his escort and left the alley. When they returned to the building's entrance, the carriage they had arrived in was waiting. And Cesare was standing in front of it. The only thing unchanged was his black tabard. Without the bauta mask, his broad, beautiful face was clearly visible even in the dark. Hearing their approach, he shifted his gaze. His cold, golden eyes met Adelaide's.
*He seems to be in a bad mood.*
Adelaide understood him. She walked up to him and quietly knelt down.
"...I apologize for not behaving ladylike."
Looking into Cesare's clear eyes, she noticed a slight frown. She hadn't realized it when he was always frowning and smiling, but now that he was only frowning, she felt an overwhelming pressure to kneel immediately. Cesare scrutinized Adelaide's calm eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. His gaze was as cold as ice.
"At least you understand."
"I'm sorry."
At his cold words, Adelaide apologized. Even then, he did not immediately get into the carriage but spoke in a chillingly indifferent voice.
"Were you disappointed that you couldn't call Lucrezia? I would have arranged a natural meeting."