Translator: Nox

Chapter 48

# 48

48. The Baron family’s Secret Maid (1)

“Stop looking.”

“Pardon?”

“My face is burning.”

I checked on his condition between reading. No, I checked on his condition every moment. He must have noticed, because he frowned.

“Don’t worry. I won’t die.”

“……”

“It’s okay.”

It really is okay. He said firmly in a calm voice. If that was the case, I thought it was fortunate, but the anxiety in my heart grew day by day.

His profile, facing out the window, looked resigned yet somehow comfortable. He might have known this situation would happen long ago.

I was worried about Violet, who had left that day. The letters that used to come every other day had stopped completely. When I asked Ethan, he said she had returned safely, thankfully. But hearing that she cried in her room every night made my heart heavy. How hard it must be for her alone. I thought about writing a letter, but I couldn't because I was afraid of causing trouble.

Ethan patted my shoulder, comforting me.

“Violet is strong. She’s the strongest of us, so don’t worry. She’ll cheer up soon.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, I desperately hoped his words were true. But it wasn’t an easy problem. All I could do was pray that Violet wouldn’t be hurt anymore, that these people wouldn’t be hurt anymore.

As always, I was on my way to deliver the laundry to Lenika and receive new ones.

“Paula.”

I turned around at the sudden call, and Lucas was standing there. He was dressed in his going-out clothes.

I hadn’t seen Lucas much since that commotion. When Vincent locked himself in his room, Lucas didn’t come out of his room either.

Ethan seemed busy and left the mansion a few days ago. He met Vincent before he left. And he came out of the room and greeted me.

‘Please take care of Vincent.’

His voice was weak, and his face was full of apology. Uncharacteristically, I tapped his arm. Ethan smiled brightly, as if my comfort had reached him.

With Ethan gone, only Lucas remained in this mansion.

So this was a conversation after a long time.

“Lucas, are you going somewhere?”

“I’m going back tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s what I decided. My brother is busy with work, so he went back first.”

I was a little surprised, but I nodded.

“Are you going to be okay?”

I remembered Lucas trembling in fear when he saw James. It wasn’t just trembling from meeting someone he feared. It was an older emotion than that. And what he said… Ah!

I had forgotten for a moment because I had gone through such a big incident. It was something I shouldn't have forgotten. I was embarrassed and flustered, but Lucas didn’t seem to notice my condition. He continued calmly.

“I’m okay. Thank you for worrying about me.”

“……It’s a shame you’re going back.”

“Really?”

Lucas asked with a mischievous smile, but I nodded right away. It was true. His presence filled this desolate mansion quite a bit.

He smiled more deeply.

“Then, will you play with me today?”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

My eyes widened. Lucas held out his hand to me.

“Give me Paula’s time today.”

‘Because it’s the last time.’

When he said that, I couldn’t refuse. After getting permission from Isabella, I quickly finished preparing and followed him to the town below the mansion. I had always wanted to go, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, and somehow I came with him.

As soon as I entered the entrance, a lively sound burst out. The town was so wide that I couldn’t see the end, and the buildings were large and splendid. Even though the colors were the same, the shapes of the buildings were all different. It was more like a big city than a town.

The town was crowded with people. There were people busy doing their own work, and women gathered here and there chatting. Children were running around the streets, playing excitedly.

A little further inside, there was a shopping district. The merchants raised their voices to attract customers.

It was clearly different from the town I lived in. It was my first time in such a big place, so I was so amazed. I was so busy looking around, turning my head from side to side. Lucas took my hand. I was surprised and looked up at him, and he smiled casually and held it tighter.

“So you don’t get lost.”

It was an embarrassing touch, but I didn’t bother to shake it off. As he said, there were so many people that I was likely to get lost, and today was the last day.

“Paula, this way.”

He dragged me to a street vendor. There were already a few young women squatting down, looking at the goods. The colorful and ornate decorations placed on the cloth spread on the floor caught my eye. They were all pretty.

As I was admiring them, Lucas picked up one of them. It was a hair ornament in the shape of two small flower buds attached in a circle on either side of a large flower bud, surrounded by vines. He put it in my hair.

“It’s pretty.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I touched the ornament in my hair. When the vendor said she would give it to me cheaply because he had chosen a good one, Lucas immediately rummaged through his jacket. I quickly stopped him.

“I’ll give it to you as a gift.”

“Just looking at it is enough.”

“I want to give it to you.”

“It’s really okay. Aren’t you hungry?”

When I subtly changed the subject, Lucas narrowed his eyes. He looked dissatisfied, but I ignored it and pointed to a nearby restaurant. I urged him to go eat quickly because I was hungry, and he sighed and took his hand out of his jacket.

“That place is more delicious than there.”

“Then let’s go there.”

I quickly took off the ornament in my hair and pushed his back.

The restaurant Lucas followed was big and crowded. It must be a famous place. He skillfully took a seat and ordered food.

After a while, a large amount of food came out, filling the table. No, who is going to eat all this? Besides, it was all full of things I had never seen before.

I picked up the fish dish closest to me and ate it. My eyes widened at the taste that melted in my mouth. Oh my gosh. I picked up another piece and put it in my mouth, then tore off the meat dish next to it. This was also so delicious that my tongue melted.

As I hurriedly picked up and ate all the dishes, I quickly became full. To exaggerate a little, I ate so much that my stomach was about to burst. Nevertheless, there was so much food left that it was a waste. I wanted to take all the leftovers to the mansion.

“Was it delicious?”

“Yes. Very much.”

Thanks to that, I ate so much that it was hard to even walk.

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Um. I just want to look around the town.”

“Okay. Shall we take a look then?”

Lucas took my hand again. This time, I held it tightly too. He smiled happily and led me.

We held hands and looked around the town. The town was bigger than I thought, and there were many more amazing places. I missed him while looking around, and I bought and ate food sold on the street. Once, I accidentally went into a strange place and hurriedly ran out. Then, I got lost and wandered around, and my legs hurt, so I squatted down on the street and rested.

But even during that time, we kept laughing. Even the hardships were fun. For this moment, I decided to forget about complicated thoughts for a while. I had to, even if I had to force myself. Otherwise, an uncontrollable sadness would torment him and me. I didn’t want that right now.

It was a short moment.

As I was looking around without thinking, the sun quickly set. I was worried about Vincent, who was sleeping, and it was almost time to prepare his dinner. It was time to go back to the mansion.

I looked up at the sunset sky and looked at Lucas. He was also looking at the sunset. The crimson sunset dyed his face. Feeling my gaze, he turned to me and smiled as always. But was it because of the sunset? There was a bitter taste in his smile.

We returned to the mansion before the sun went down completely.

“Paula. I had fun today.”

“Me too.”

I raised the corners of my mouth high. It was really fun. I had been so depressed lately, but today was a great comfort. Now that even Lucas was leaving, I felt a little sad because only silence would linger in the mansion.

“I have to take care of the master’s dinner, so I’ll go in first.”

With that, I quickened my pace toward the mansion. I was worried that Vincent might be waiting.

“Paula.”

Then, Lucas called me. When I turned around, Lucas was standing there like a nail, looking at me. The sun was setting behind him. His shaded face was not visible.

“Lucas?”

“Paula, you know.”

“Yes.”

He paused for a moment. He seemed to be hesitating. What is he trying to say? As I waited calmly, he continued.

“I will never forget this moment.”

There was laughter in his voice. I couldn’t see his face well, but I could imagine him smiling. Is that what he was so hesitant to say? It’s nothing. If I have another chance later, I want to go out and play like this. Then, it would be nice if Vincent, Ethan, and Violet were all together. Imagining that day, I smiled back.

“Me too.”

And I turned around and headed back to the mansion.

As soon as I went inside, I immediately took care of Vincent’s meal first. I didn’t even change my clothes and hurried to take it, but Vincent refused to eat, saying he had no appetite.

“Just one bite.”

“I really have no appetite.”

“Still……”

“I want to sleep, so get out.”

He had been sleeping all day. I tried to get him to take at least one spoonful, but he was firm. He turned his body toward the wall, curled up as much as possible, and closed his eyes. I regretted not bringing some delicious food when I went to the town.

I understood his condition now, so I didn’t force him to eat. Instead, I told him to eat it later if he was hungry and left the meal on the bedside table next to the bed and left the room.

I sighed and went to my room to change out of my going-out clothes. I tidied up my disheveled hair and came back out into the hallway, and darkness had fallen.

I looked out the window, but Lucas was gone. He must have gone back to his room? Thinking that, I swept my eyes across the scenery outside the window. There was still no one where he had been standing just a moment ago. I wondered if he had gone to the restaurant, so I went down to check, but he wasn’t there either.

Did he already go back? But his luggage was still in his room. Just in case, I looked around the places he might have gone. But Lucas was nowhere to be seen.