41 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Blind Peacock and Engagement Episode 41
"Mom......"
Peridot rubbed his face against his mother’s chest again, whining. Because if he acted like this, his mother would always take his side, pretending she couldn’t win.
“Mom has to leave soon. Peridot, you can count to five hundred properly, right?”
His mother detached him with a firm hand.
Startled, Peridot looked up at his mother. When his mother called him Peridot instead of baby, he had to obey her no matter what.
His mother’s dark eyes shone strongly, as if demanding a promise.
“Yes……”
Peridot had no choice but to nod.
“You’re so smart, my baby. When you go to the secret room, you must never go outside. You must not meet anyone.”
“Until when?”
“Until Mom comes to pick you up.”
Peridot stared at his mother with an excited expression.
Since his mother said so, she would definitely come to pick him up. Because his mother was someone who kept her word.
“Okay. I won’t look for my sisters and will wait for Mom. So you have to come quickly!”
“Yes. That’s a promise between Mom and you.”
Peridot linked his little finger with his mother’s.
His mother’s smiling face was different from usual, but his mother’s smile was always pretty.
“Okay!”
His mother hugged him tightly again.
Mom’s scent, it’s so nice.
“You mustn’t make any noise either. You have to hide in the closet and be quiet.”
“Okay, I will. I’ll hide in the closet without making any noise, like we’re playing hide-and-seek.”
“Yes. Our baby listens well to Mom. If, if by any chance, Mom is too late, there is only one person. You can open the door for that person.”
“Who? Dia?”
His mother’s hand stroking his head was soft and affectionate.
Hehe. He wished his mother would keep stroking him.
“No. Duke Vines. Duke Gerald von Vines. Your uncle will find you and protect you.”
His mother’s voice, which penetrated his ear, seemed somehow proud.
Who was that person that made his mother speak so proudly?
“Duke Vines?”
“Yes. You must remember that name, my baby……”
\ \ \
Mom, when are you coming? I miss you.
Peridot hiccuped, startled by the sound of his own crying, and covered his mouth again, sobbing.
He mustn’t make a sound. He mustn’t be caught.
At that moment, he suddenly heard footsteps.
Peridot curled up like a snail and froze.
Did I make a sound and get caught? Mom, I’m scared.
\ \ \
Gerald climbed the bell tower stairs effortlessly, as if he could see in front of him.
Thump. He heard the small beating of a heart.
Someone was here. A small child.
A child who was swallowing sobs in a place where no one would find them.
Gerald’s steps quickened.
Reaching the top floor of the bell tower, Gerald headed towards the sound.
Thud. His foot touched something first. He reached out and felt the rough grain of wood. It was a thick wooden door.
He grabbed the doorknob and shook it gently, but it was locked from the inside.
Thump, thump, thump. The child inside was startled, and the sound of their heartbeat became frantic.
He could break the door down right away, but he didn’t want to scare the child any more.
“Olive. How can we open this door without scaring the child?”
Olive, who had belatedly chased after him, panting, widened her eyes and quickly regained her composure.
“Did Lord Peridot lock it himself?”
There was only one sign of life inside. It seemed the child had locked the door with the latch himself.
“Peridot is here?”
Dia, who had finally arrived at the top floor, widened her eyes as if she couldn’t believe it.
The two turned to face her.
Without waiting for an answer, Dia pushed past them and stood directly in front of the wooden door.
Bang! Bang!
“Peridot! Peridot! Are you there? It’s Dia! Peridot! Answer me! Peridot!”
She pounded on the wooden door, out of her mind.
The child’s crying, which only Gerald could hear, grew louder. But even after hearing Dia’s voice, the child remained still.
“Peridot. Peridot, please. It’s me! Are you there? If you are, just say one word! Peridot!”
When she heard no sound from inside, Dia leaned her head against the wooden door with a sad face.
“Duke Vines. Peridot isn’t here. If Peridot were here, he would have answered me when he heard my voice.”
“They might think their family is being threatened.”
At Olive’s calm explanation, Dia shook her head as if it were absurd.
“He’s just a six-year-old child. There’s no way he could think like that.”
“His sister would have warned him in advance.”
Gerald thought of his wise sister.
At those words, Dia raised her head sharply and stared intently at Gerald.
“Please break down this door.”
“The child will be very scared.”
“If you don’t do it yourself, I’ll call a servant.”
“Lady, I know you’re very upset. The young lord is probably very scared right now too. So I think it would be good to give him some time.”
Olive gently soothed Dia.
“I’ve never seen Peridot come here. Is Peridot…… really here?”
Dia’s dark green eyes were filled with tears.
Olive took out a handkerchief with a pitiful expression and handed it to her.
Meanwhile, Gerald thought of his sister.
What else had his sister told the youngest child?
If it were his sister, wouldn’t she have said this?
Gerald slowly raised his hand and touched the wooden door.
Olive and Dia’s gazes turned to Gerald.
“I am Gerald von Vines. Whoever is inside, I will protect them.”
The Vines protect.
Dia’s body trembled slightly as she heard his words from behind.
The sound of a small child moving little by little was heard.
Whether there was another door inside, the door creaked open slowly.
The sound of a small child walking slowly towards the wooden door was as light as a feather.
How hungry had he been?
“What are you doing……”
Click. Click. Dia’s eyes widened and she froze at the sound of metal suddenly coming from inside.
The child didn’t seem to have the strength to open the latch.
Clang. After several failures, the sound of the latch finally hitting the wooden door was heard.
The three held their breath so as not to startle the child and waited for the wooden door to open.
Soon, the wooden door opened very slowly and laboriously.
The child’s small shadow appeared cautiously through the gap.
Gerald couldn’t see, but he could feel the small child looking up at him.
“……”
The child pointed at him and tried to open his mouth, but he couldn’t speak and choked.
Gerald understood the child’s intention with just his small movements.
“Yes. I am Gerald von Vines.”
Dia, having confirmed Peridot’s face, cried out with a desperate heart.
“Peridot!!”
At that moment, the child collapsed like a doll with its strings cut.
Gerald caught the fainted child before he fell to the floor.
Sister, the youngest is safe. No matter what I have to do, I will protect your children.
