Chapter 33
33
33. The Count's Circumstances (3)
“Have you ever used this place?”
“Sometimes when I was young. I felt suffocated just staying in the mansion. Whenever that happened, I’d use this path to go out and play.”
“Secretly?”
“Secretly.”
I chuckled. It was funny imagining young Vincent opening this door. Sometimes with a bothered look, sometimes with an annoyed look, he would open the iron gate and run out into the world beyond.
When I laughed, he flicked my forehead, telling me not to laugh.
“This is a path only the family knows about. Now, I’m the only one who knows.”
“Now I know too.”
“Right. Now it’s just you and me. No one else knows. It’s a secret door, just like you said.”
The nuance was nice. Secret door. I savored the words in my mouth as I fiddled with the iron gate.
“Shall we go to the village this way?”
“Pardon? Why?”
“You told me to go somewhere far away, didn’t you?”
“Still, not the village. No, why are you suddenly so brave when you were afraid to even leave your room until recently?”
“You said I couldn’t just stay like this forever.”
“That’s true, but weren’t you supposed to avoid being seen?”
“Right.”
“Then it’s even more out of the question. Let’s just take a walk in the woods.”
I shook my head firmly. I didn’t want any trouble. What if something happened if we went out? After expressing my refusal, I took his hand and turned back the way we came.
“But how did you know to come here? I was wondering how you managed to come so confidently even though you can’t see.”
“There are markings on the trees.”
He stopped walking and led me by the hand. Then he felt around a nearby tree and placed my hand there. There was a very small, seal-like mark on it. It was easier to recognize by touch than by sight.
“If you find a tree with this mark, it will lead you to that door.”
“Wow.”
This feels like a real adventure!
“I love this kind of thing. It’s exciting.”
“But it’s better not to use it.”
“Why?”
“Using this path means it’s dangerous.”
That’s true, I guess. Nodding, I traced the seal on the tree.
“Aren’t you curious about the village? It’s quite big and famous.”
“I am curious. But we shouldn’t put ourselves in danger.”
“They wouldn’t think a blind man is Count Bellunita, would they? You’re by my side too.”
Only then did I turn to look at Vincent. I couldn’t understand him.
“Why do you keep suggesting we go outside? You don’t really want to go, do you?”
“That’s right. I don’t want to go. But… I want to try to be brave. Like you said, I can’t live like this forever.”
“That bravery has to be now?”
“You need a reason to start.”
Why does that reason have to be now? It was an incomprehensible stubbornness. He’d been doing things he hadn’t done recently, and I was worried because he’d changed so much.
But Vincent’s face, staring blankly ahead, was resolute. He showed reluctance on his face, but only said he didn’t want to. Seeing that face, I couldn’t say I didn’t want to anymore. Actually, I wanted to see the village too.
“Okay. Then I’ll go get a hat.”
“A hat? Why?”
“Well…”
I tend to wear a hat when I go out. I needed to cover my face even more if there were a lot of people. I was covering it with my bangs, but I still wasn’t relieved. Besides, it would be better for Vincent to wear a hat too.
“I thought it would make us less noticeable if we wore hats.”
“We can buy one there.”
“Then it’ll be late. Please wait a moment.”
“Don’t go.”
He gripped my hand even tighter. His expression, which had been indifferent, gradually twisted as if he were afraid of being alone. I patted the back of his hand to soothe him.
“It’s safe here, so you’ll be fine alone. You said no one knows about this place, right? Just wait a little bit. I’ll be right back.”
“……”
“I really will be back in a moment, okay? I’ll run so fast you won’t even see my feet. Okay?”
“……”
“Um, then count to a hundred. I’ll be back before you finish.”
At those words, Vincent made a dumbfounded expression. In fact, it was impossible to come back while he was counting to a hundred. But I kept reassuring him not to worry, and eventually he gave me permission to go quickly.
“Come back before I finish counting to a hundred.”
“Yes!”
It was a reluctant permission, but that made me answer even more energetically and carefully let go of his hand. Fortunately, he erased the anxious expression from just now and stood calmly. I glanced at him and quickly turned around. I heard the sound of one, two, three from behind. He really was going to count to a hundred.
No, he doesn’t really think I can come back while he’s counting to ten, does he? While he was counting to ten, my feet were frantically pushing through the bushes and out.
I ran out of the bushes like a madman and ran out of the forest. And I went straight to the back door of the Separate Residence. But when I opened the door and went inside, an unusual silence greeted me.
Why is it so quiet? Of course, the Separate Residence was usually quiet, but today there was a strange tension in the air. Is it my imagination? I feel nervous for some reason. I swallowed hard, trying to catch my breath.
I tiptoed towards the stairs. I tried to be as quiet as possible. First, I went to his room to get a hat, then I went to my room, put on a hat, and came out.
But I heard a faint sound somewhere. What caught my attention was that it was a voice. There’s no way I could hear a voice here, right? Besides, the sound was quite close.
Puzzled, I walked towards it. The sound was coming from downstairs. I went down the back stairs and headed towards the sound. The entrance hall between the door leading to the mansion and the central staircase, there were people gathered there.
The first thing I saw was the back of a tall, large man. The butler was next to him. And Isabella was standing opposite them.
The black back of his head, with his hair neatly swept back, looked like someone I’d never seen before. Is he a guest who came to see Vincent? As I wondered, I looked at the man, and Isabella, who was standing on the opposite side, made eye contact with me. Her eyes widened for a moment before quickly regaining their composure.
“Where is Count Bellunita?”
“My master is out.”
“Bring him here.”
A firm command. A heavy voice that sounded used to giving orders. I wondered who he was to be acting like that, and at that moment, the man turned his head. I quickly hid behind the corner. I instinctively felt that I had to hide.
After a moment, I peeked at him again. The man was looking towards the central staircase. He narrowed his eyes and looked around. He tapped the floor with the cane in his hand, expressing his displeasure. A solemn and somehow dangerous atmosphere emanated from the unfamiliar guest.
He was like a snake. A viper, hiding its venomous fangs and looking around to bite its prey. The dark brown eyes gleamed with blatant murderous intent. He didn’t even try to hide it in someone else’s mansion.
“This is troubling.”
“I just need to see the Count. I don’t know where he ran off to, but bring him here if he’s here.”
“……”
“How long are you going to make me wait?”
Only then did I realize. The reason Isabella sent Vincent out was because of that man. Is he someone he shouldn’t meet? Is it because of his condition? No, there seemed to be a more important problem than that.
Could it be…?
Isabella’s gaze reached me again. I quickly turned around. I walked towards the back door as if running, trying to silence my footsteps. I felt cold sweat running down my back. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst through my skin.
As soon as I came out of the back door, I ran towards the forest. I didn’t even have time to look back. I went straight into the forest and pushed through the bushes. I had trouble getting lost in the middle, but I followed the seal on the trees as he told me, and I was able to reach the secret door.
Vincent was startled by my presence and quietly focused on the surrounding sounds. I approached him, panting.
“Master.”
“You’re over a hundred.”
He realized it was me approaching and soon made a sulky face. Even so, he hurriedly walked towards me as if he had been waiting.
“Wh-who is it that came to the mansion just now?”
“……”
Instantly, his steps stopped. The sulky look disappeared, and his face was filled with tension. I looked up at him and turned the thought in my mind into a conviction.
“Who… is it?”
“James… James Christopher.”
Ethan and Lucas’s brother.
The very person who blinded Vincent.
That person came to the mansion. That’s why Vincent ran away.
“So, he really did come.”
He staggered. I quickly went to support Vincent. His complexion was pale. I looked for a place to rest for a while, but there was nowhere to sit around. So I took off my coat and spread it on the floor, and sat him on it. It bothered me because it was from Isabella, but I couldn’t let him sit on the bare ground.
I was worried that he was having a seizure when I saw his breathing become rough, but fortunately he soon breathed evenly. He pressed between his eyebrows as if he was tired.
“What reason did he have for coming?”
“He must have come to check on my condition.”
“Hasn’t he come before?”
“It’s the first time he’s come in person since I became like this. He’s sent people a few times before. He must have heard that I recently met Ethan, Violet, and Lucas. Did you see his face?”
“No. I only saw him from afar. I felt like I shouldn’t go.”
“Right… you did well.”
Vincent, saying that, looked somehow complicated. His dull eyes stayed on the floor. I watched his face, where complex emotions were raging, and quietly sat down next to him.
“I brought the hat, so shall we go to the village?”
“I’m not going. I’m out of energy.”
Vincent rested his head on my shoulder as he watched me.
“Then shall we go somewhere else?”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Here.”
I looked around this small space. Behind me was the secret door, and the surroundings were surrounded by bushes. The space, without the hustle and bustle of noise or people’s eyes, was just quiet. It’s just him and me here. That was comforting. The occasional chirping of birds was nice to hear.
“No.”
“Then stay here. Like this.”
He closed his eyes. I put the hat I was holding on him.
