The Count's Strange Guest (4)
" - Why?"
"Only people working there can enter the annex. Even then, you can only go to the designated area and only at a certain time. If someone does not use the time allotted to him or if an employee crosses the threshold of the annex without permission, his head will be torn off."
Paula had no idea. She did not see other people, with a few exceptions, and the girl did not know that access was limited.
Was this due to Vincent's condition?..
She was not warned not to go anywhere.
The girl assumed that this was normal because she was his escort.
“And yet it’s a shame.”
Renika smacked her lips as if she was truly disappointed.
“If you would like to send a letter, please let me know. I will give it to him instead of you.”
" - Ahaha. Thank you."
Paula said goodbye to Renica and went down to the dining room for breakfast.
Originally, servants were not supposed to use the dining room, but no one was using it now anyway. Vincent did not want to leave the room, so she was content to feed him in the room, and no one else was allowed to come except her. No, she didn't even know if anyone else was in this mansion. Because she never saw them for a long time. Now this question was answered some time ago.
In any case, there was no one to catch her, so she took advantage of it comfortably.
But today there was one person there. A guest who came early in the morning.
“Oh, I’m very sorry.”
“It's okay. Sit down.”
He looked at the potato in her hand and motioned for her to sit opposite him. But this couldn't happen. Isabella taught her to respect the guest and not eat food with him. Besides, she needed to be alone. When you are with a nightmare master, you lose energy even if you are with him for a short amount of time.
She bowed low.
“No, you won’t be able to eat comfortably.”
“ - Don't go. I felt awkward eating alone, but I would be glad if you joined me.
The guest was tenacious.
Paula shook her head decisively.
“ - I can’t do this. And please eat comfortably.”
“That’s because I’m generally polite towards women.”
Ethan smiled tenderly and again beckoned to the opposite side. It was a very good mood. Paula shook her head from side to side in admiration.
“ - Everything is fine. I'll be on my way."
“Are you going to leave me alone?”
" - What?"
“You let me eat alone like this. Oh, I can't. I can't eat this food because I have to eat it alone. I can’t eat this.”
Finally he put the spoon down and feigned disappointment.
“I’m losing my appetite.”
After muttering something incomprehensible, she finally sat down quietly opposite him. Only then did Ethan smile with satisfaction and pick up the spoon again, scooping up some of the soup. He was also cunning. Vincent and Ethan had such opposite personalities that she wondered how the hell they became friends.
Paula also took a bite after peeling the potatoes. The potatoes here were delicious too. However, having an uncomfortable companion, she did not know whether the potato would get into her nose or mouth.
“The taste of food changes when we eat together.”
“Is this really so?”
She answered rudely and stared at the door. She wondered if Isabella or the other servants who were here would come in, but no one saw her. Maybe the cook will come by while passing by? Now it was a place where there were no signs of people.
Eating potatoes with tense nerves only made her feel uncomfortable.
"What about Vincent? He looked very angry."
“He's not completely evil.”
“But he threw things.”
“This always happens.”
"Is that so? It's dangerous."
[Yes, thanks to him I often get hurt.]
However, when she thought about the atrocities he had committed in the beginning, he had been quite quiet lately. The number of tantrums has decreased slightly due to whatever changes in heart have occurred. That doesn't mean he doesn't throw things. They just changed three times to two times, and the hard throws gave way to soft ones.
Paula was just putting a potato into her mouth when suddenly there was silence. When the words were vaguely interrupted, she glanced at the door. Ethan hesitated, his mouth tight.
When she looked at him, wondering why, he continued again.
"You know this, miss? I mean Vincent's current condition."
“-...”
Paula immediately closed her mouth and swallowed a piece of potato. From his intense eyes, she understood the meaning of 'Vincent's current condition' that he had just mentioned. She was hired to serve the blind master from the very beginning.
Ethan also knew Vincent's current condition. She didn't know what he meant because he already knew the truth. The girl didn't know if she could pretend to know, so she remained silent.
Ethan smiled bitterly, as if he saw her silence as positive.
" - Lately, I often hear that Count Bellunitto is secretly looking for servants. There are even strange rumors that people keep quitting when the owner is so evil."
Listening to his words, Paula nodded her head subconsciously.
[Angry, you're right.]
Looking at Ethan, she smiled mischievously.
“Vincent must be really bothering the maid.”
“No, he’s kind.”
“I heard from you that he often throws things.”
" - Is he really? I just misspoke. I'm very sorry."
"-Oh no, you even protect your master. Apparently you are a very good person."
“-...”
Paula decided to just shut up and buried her nose in her potatoes. But he even leaned his chin and looked at her.
"How did you get hired? Did you come here yourself?"
“The butler hired me.”
Technically, she was sold, but she didn't need to add that explanation. Ethan nodded as if he knew who the butler was.
"Vincent is stubborn, right? Once he decides to do something, no one can stop him."
“-...”
Don't be fooled.
It's a trap.
"Besides, if you don't agree with his opinion, he'll show how much he hates it. You don't have to wrinkle your brow and put on a stern face. Even if he's calm, from time to time everything turns upside down inside him."
“-...”
[Don't be fooled.]
[Let it pass.]
“ - In the words of ordinary people, what was it called? Stubborn? What do you say to that?”
“- Stubborn.”
“ - Absolutely right, that’s the word. That's true, isn't it?”
She couldn't bring herself to deny it, so she silently confirmed it. Ethan chuckled.
“It was a good time, though...”
The smile gradually disappeared, leaving only bitterness on his face. He looked out the window.
White clouds floated across the blue sky.
“ - I couldn’t believe it, at first everything was wrong. He could not leave the mansion, but he did his work, sometimes walked in the garden and often laughed.”
She had already heard about it and knew it. Although she couldn't imagine Vincent walking in the garden or doing his work. Especially smiling, she couldn't imagine it even more. The Vincent Bellunitto she saw was a man huddled and shaking in fear in a room on a bed covered in a sheet. He was everyone she knew who was afraid to eat, step on the floor, or even breathe.
“Suddenly, a few months ago, my letters stopped receiving replies, I contacted him, but he did not answer, and I sent people, but they did not meet with him. I came here because I was worried about his condition, but now I know why.”
Smiling bitterly, she could not say anything. The girl could not even easily utter words of consolation. It was not an easy situation. Besides, she wasn't a good conversationalist. Of course, he didn't expect the maid's comfort to ease his worries.
So it was her own sincerity.
“ - Don't worry too much. The owner is also trying.”
His suspicious gaze settled on her.
The girl said, peeling the remaining potatoes:
“You suddenly start living in darkness. How scary must that be? It would be like being left alone in the whole world. If it were me, I would want to die. You never know who you can trust and who you should be wary of.”
Not to mention, even if someone punched him, he wouldn't be able to dodge it. Because I couldn't see. Things that mean nothing to others cause him fear. Moreover, he would not even be able to escape if someone stabbed him.
He does not know when death will come, although it is just around the corner.
How terrible that must be.
Vincent, who was trembling during the nightmare last night, came to her mind. He struggled with fear, saying that his life had failed. She thought about what it would be like if she were in his place. The conclusion was simple. If it were her, she would also tremble at any rustle.
"But the owner is not dead. If someone tries to touch him, he is scared to death, but still tries to live. He fights."
Of course, it wasn't that he didn't want to die. He hated being touched, didn't eat, didn't go out, just curled up in bed and waited for death. At least in her eyes he was.
However, it would be difficult for him to live during the time when he lost his sight and continued to go about his daily life as before. Even now, a tongue bite could kill him. But he didn't do it. He had a desire to live. That alone made her think he was making a big effort.
" - Instead of comforting him in this way, please just support him from the bottom of your heart. Sometimes silence can be better than comfort. Sir Christopher is not a master. It makes no sense for Sir Christopher to understand other people's pain. How can others know the pain of a master? It's not like they are going through it with him."
[After all, I'm just me.]
Vincent said something similar last time. She also agreed. Understanding other people's pain was like a dog barking. She couldn't be Vincent. Until he goes blind in an accident. Any comfort for Vincent would feel like pain. It was the same with the man standing in front of her.
“Please wait for him so that the owner can win.”
“-...”
There was silence for a moment. There was no answer. Ethan didn't say anything until she peeled the potatoes and washed her hands. Finally, when she looked up in surprise, Ethan was looking at her with a strange expression on his face.
[Why are you looking at me like that? Did I misspoke?]
“Is something wrong?”
“Miss very...”
[Oh, what?]
“You are an honest person.”
" - What?"
"Should I say heartless? But you also have a determined side. You don't look like it from the outside, but you're cuter than I thought."
Was it a compliment or a complaint?
Paula frowned when she heard the incomprehensible words.
Ethan seemed to think for a moment and then spoke again.
"I can't wait any longer. I need to tell him something."
“-If it’s something important, can I give it to him instead?”
“This is also good, but I think it will be more effective if I tell him everything directly.”
He smiled and politely declined.
“That's why I want to enter the room.”
“You can only enter if the owner allows you to do so.”
“How can this be done without the help of his maid?”