Chapter 19
# 19
19. Tea Time with the Count (1)
My hands and feet were swollen from the cold weather. I rubbed my reddened cheeks, enduring the chill. Returning home with my body hunched over like that, Father would greet me. That Devil spawn.
I don't know why he hits me. I've become accustomed to being hit without reason. Crouching my body is the only resistance I can offer. Sometimes, my younger siblings would try to stop Father, only to be beaten instead.
However, Alicia would glance at me and turn away. She was the only one among my siblings who wasn't beaten. Father cherished her, afraid of even a scratch on her beautiful face. So that he could sell her for the highest price someday. But Alicia didn't know that. That's why she's so haughty.
Then, as the beings who used to hold my hand disappeared one by one, I became able to endure pain and sorrow calmly. Tears were unnecessary. The moment I realized that about myself, I woke up from the nightmare. Then I couldn't fall asleep again.
I crouched down in one corner. Then, leaning my head against the wall, I heard a familiar groan. I closed my eyes, taking in that faint sound.
He's fighting on the other side of that wall. I am comforted by that sound. He might get angry, but I sometimes woke up from nightmares and listened to his groans. I rubbed my reddened cheeks against the cold wall and shed tears to push away the fear. I realize I'm not alone.
'So, are you saying that Christopher's family made Master like this?'
'Yes.'
'Does Christopher know about this?'
'Ethan doesn't know. It's more accurate to say he doesn't know yet.'
I asked what that meant. I was so surprised that I even stuttered, but the person involved was so nonchalant.
'I'm just speculating. But I'm not sure. That's why he wanted to ask me. Whether his family really made me like this.'
'So, did you give him an answer?'
'He didn't ask. He probably can't ask.'
'Why, why?'
'Because my condition isn't good.'
I was speechless.
'Even though he looks like that, he's kind to his people. He couldn't have poked at my wounds, being blind and terrified.'
Only then did I understand his behavior of avoiding Ethan. But at the same time, I had a question. How do you know all that?
'Why don't you tell Christopher?'
'There's no reason for me to tell him.'
Vincent lifted his eyelids. His emerald eyes, still cloudy, stared straight into the air, seemingly resolute.
'Sometimes, secrets should be kept secret.'
'…….'
The conversation ended there. He was silent, and I didn't ask any further. A warning rang in one corner of my heart that I shouldn't ask any more. After that, I never mentioned that day's conversation again, and he didn't add any explanations either.
But, that doesn't mean I'm not scared, right? Closing my eyes, I feel with my whole body every night how heavy a burden is placed on my hunched shoulders.
Secrets must be buried as secrets.
Pretend you didn't see what you saw, pretend you didn't hear what you heard, and don't utter anything.
I reminded myself once again of the conditions I had to meet to work as a servant here, and today, I was busy attending to my Master as usual.
'Master, please wake up.'
The round shape on the bed wriggled. But it doesn't come out. He's sensitive to movements, so he must have noticed me coming in early. I frowned and pulled back the sheets.
'You need to eat.'
As his face was revealed, he frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction. But his face is covered in sweat. He seemed to have had a nightmare yesterday, and he must have been overworked all night.
'You've sweated a lot all night, so it would be better to wash first.'
Now, the musty smell that used to linger in the room has disappeared, and the number of things rolling around on the floor has decreased a bit. Light flowing into the room, which was once full of darkness, has become a familiar sight, like a daily routine. Lately, he's been eating well and living some kind of life. But he's still uncooperative and wary when it comes to being touched.
'Get out.'
He grabbed the end of the sheet that had been taken away. But I didn't give in and held on to the sheet, putting strength into my hand.
'I've drawn water in the bathtub.'
When I first came here, bathing him was unimaginable. But due to the strange power struggle with him and the changes that have occurred, I can now even ask him to wash.
'Please get out.'
Vincent sighed deeply. Annoyance was evident in the hand pulling the sheet. He seemed to be in a bad mood today.
'I'll support you.'
'Like last time?'
'Th, that time……. I'll go check the water temperature.'
I took refuge in the bathroom. I had nothing to say about the incident where I dropped him in the bathtub last time.
I needlessly put my hand in the water to check the temperature, paused for a moment, came out of the bathroom, and approached Vincent, who was blankly lying on the bed. I carefully touched his body, and he stirred. It's a familiar reaction now, so I ignored it, lifted his limp arm, and put it around my shoulder. As I pulled him up, he got up and came down from the bed.
But unlike his prickly words, he was docile today. So, I was able to take him to the bathtub more easily than I thought.
As I put his hand on the bathtub, he groped and touched the bathtub. I was about to quickly undo his top buttons so he could wash comfortably, but he stopped my hand.
'I'll do it myself, so get out.'
'Really?'
Surprised by his unexpectedly willing cooperation, I asked, and he nodded and slowly began to take off his clothes. I stared blankly at the sight, and only after seeing him drop his already removed top on the floor did I come to my senses.
What's going on? I quickly bent down and picked up the pajama top he had taken off. He, who was about to take off his pants as well, suddenly stopped moving.
'If you don't leave, I'll flip this over as it is.'
'I understand.'
Tch. I clicked my tongue softly and stood up, and Vincent's face turned fierce as if he had heard the sound. Thinking he was going to say something, I left the clothes to change into on the floor and quickly left the bathroom.
And I pretended to walk while making a tapping sound in one place. I slowly reduced the loud footsteps and stopped abruptly, and not long after, I heard the sound of water. He had entered the bathtub.
What's really going on? I thought he would flip it over two or three times.
While being surprised by his docile attitude, I decided to focus on the things I needed to do right now. I need to clean the room while he's washing.
As always, I put the scattered items in the room back in their place, and changed the bedspread, sheets, and pillowcases with new ones. Then, I dusted every corner, swept the floor, and wiped the dust off the furniture. As the room became somewhat clean, I felt proud and headed to the bathroom.
Vincent, who had finished bathing, was changing his clothes. I took out a towel from a nearby drawer and wiped his hair, from which water was dripping. I quickly patted his head with the towel to remove the moisture, and this time, he accepted it quietly as well.
'I've changed the sheets. You can go now.'
When his hair was somewhat dry, I grabbed his arm and supported him. I slowly moved him and sat him down on the bed. Then, I saw that his top buttons were misaligned.
I thought he was dressed well today. I smiled softly and unbuttoned his buttons again, fastening them from the bottom up.
'Meal.'
'Yes? Ah, ah, yes. Meal. I'll prepare it.'
I hurried back to the door and brought the Silver Plate. Holding it, I hesitated for a moment, then knelt down in front of him. I placed the Silver Plate on my knees and scooped up a spoonful of porridge, putting it to his mouth. Then, Vincent began to eat the porridge quietly.
He had indigestion once before, but now he empties the bowl quite well. Happy with the change, I watched him eat with a pleased expression. He emptied the bowl cleanly again today. I thought it would be okay to prepare food with small lumps in it now.
Vincent, who had taken all his medicine, lay down on the clean bed. He pulled the sheet up to his neck and turned his body towards the wall.
'Sleep.'
'Yes, I'll wake you up at lunchtime.'
I took the pre-collected laundry and empty dishes and left the room with satisfaction.
'Master has been eating well lately.'
'Yes, he emptied it all today too.'
I showed the empty bowl to the cook. The cook was moved and sniffled. The kitchen maid who was helping him joined our conversation with joy.
'I think we can serve him rice grains now.'
'I'll prepare a hearty meal tomorrow!'
I nodded and left the kitchen. Then, I went outside the Separate Residence and waited for Lenika.
But today, she wasn't alone. Isabella was with her as well.
'Master's condition seems to be improving recently.'
'Yes, he eats well, and now he even bathes himself. He still throws things and gets angry, but it's much less than before. Last time, he even came down from the bed and walked for a moment, though it was brief.'
I spoke the last words clearly in a small voice that only Isabella could hear. I also told her that he had gone out of the room last time, though it was just one step. I remembered Isabella's surprised face when she heard those words. She didn't show a big reaction like she usually does, but I knew that raising her eyebrows was her way of expressing surprise.
'That's a big improvement. Thank you for your hard work. Please continue to do well in the future.'
'Yes.'
After ending the brief conversation with Isabella, I approached Lenika. She received the laundry basket from me and handed me a basket containing new sheets and clothes. Then, we exchanged greetings and I came back inside the Separate Residence.
Master was cooperative today, so I had more free time than I thought. Usually, time flew by because of the constant arguments. After struggling with him all day, I would be exhausted and not in the mood to look around the Separate Residence. So, this was the first time I was looking around the inside of the Separate Residence like this.
The inside of the Separate Residence was generally clean. I heard that the maids from the Main Residence come to the Separate Residence at certain times to clean. So, Isabella told me not long after I came here that I only needed to focus on Master without worrying about other things.
Thanks to that, my cleaning area was only Master's room. Moreover, the place where I stayed was right next to Master's room, and the only other places I went were the kitchen to get meals or the back door to hand over the laundry.
So, this is what it looks like. I tilted my head back and looked around the mansion with excitement, admiring the towering ceiling and the vast interior that I couldn't explore even if I walked around all day. It was full of fascinating things because it was my first time coming to a place like this.
Then, I climbed the long, large staircase in the center and looked at the frames hanging on the wall one by one.
