Translator: Nox

Chapter 52

52

52. The Baron family’s Secret Maid (5)

“Ah, I was mistaken. I thought I was included among those the master had to take responsibility for.”

“Your confidence is excessive.”

“Yes, I was too much.”

He laughed again as I grumbled. It was annoying to see him laughing now.

“I just mentioned it in case. If I am included in the master’s responsibilities, you don’t have to.”

“Why?”

“Because I can manage on my own.”

“You’re being too much again.”

“It’s true. I was doing well on my own even before I came here. I’m really good at my job, if nothing else. So don’t worry and take it off your plate.”

“Aren’t you being too arrogant? It’s not that easy.”

“If it doesn’t work out, I can just die.”

“You think too lightly of death.”

“Because it’s an easy problem.”

“Why?”

“I never had a reason to live anyway. Nor the right. I just lived because I could breathe and the morning came. It wasn’t such a grand life.”

There was no one who would be sad if I died. Before coming here, death was a more familiar life. Even in this cozy and warm place, I was eventually sold for a Gold coin. My life still had no value.

“You don’t need qualifications to live. You just live.”

Vincent frowned and retorted.

“There are people who shouldn’t live.”

“I don’t think someone who came here because of family they don’t miss, and who is doing something that could lead to death, grew up with tender care. It must have been a difficult life, risking their life without hesitation.”

“……”

“Even if there is such a thing, it’s not you.”

He looked somehow displeased. His voice was tinged with annoyance. Yet, strangely, I couldn’t take my eyes off his face.

“You have the right to live.”

“…That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

“I think every time, it’s not me who’s dry, but you.”

“I guess so.”

The end of my words trembled. I tried to suppress the trembling and smiled. Even though I knew he couldn’t see me, I wanted to smile for him. To say that I’m okay, that I’m still okay. That I won’t break down in the future, just like I have until now. But he shatters my resolve.

“Still, live.”

The corners of my mouth, which I had tried to pull up, twisted at his casually uttered words. Even though he couldn’t see me, his unusually upright eyes met mine.

“Live a happy life.”

His voice was still gruff, but I felt like crying because I knew the sincerity within. I bit my lip hard to hold back the tears, then barely managed to let go.

“Is that okay?”

“It’s okay.”

“Happily?”

“Yes. Very happily.”

I calmly spat out the words between breaths that were becoming increasingly rough.

“I will.”

Then I lowered my head. My vision kept blurring, which was embarrassing. I tried not to blink so that tears wouldn’t fall, but the tears that welled up uncontrollably fell.

“I definitely will.”

So I couldn’t hide my sobs.

What’s so special about comfort? Even if it’s just a simple word, isn’t it enough if you’ve been comforted? No one had ever told me that I had the right to live. I thought I was being greedy. Because I survived, ignoring the sacrifice of my blood relatives. In one corner of my heart, a desire to live even one more day sprouted, but I didn’t wish for happiness.

But he told me no. Knowing that those words were for me, and because his sincerity reached me, I couldn’t stop this feeling.

“Thank you.”

“……”

I was really grateful to Vincent for allowing me to feel this emotion.

I covered my face with both hands. As if trying to pour out everything I had been holding back, once I started crying, I couldn’t stop easily. Instead, I gritted my teeth and tried to cry as quietly as possible. But I couldn’t stop the faint sobs.

He, with his sensitive hearing, noticed that I was crying and turned his head to the other side. He pretended not to see, pretended not to hear, even though he couldn’t see, and I smiled at his consideration. Meanwhile, I wiped away my tears and composed myself.

As the wind blew, the flowers danced. Vincent’s golden hair, standing among them, also fluttered in the wind. The golden hair, with the sunlight breaking and falling, shone brilliantly and stole my gaze. Standing tall, he seemed like someone who could emit light on his own.

Could I be like that too? Could I become someone who emits light on their own? Could I walk alone through hell like him?

“Will there ever be a moment when I think it’s a good thing I’m alive?”

“There will be.”

“Really?”

I asked, trying to hold back a smile, and he seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning to look at me. I was puzzled by his somehow determined expression, but then he suddenly turned around. Vincent suddenly strode away. I was flustered and stared blankly at him. He, who was afraid to walk without relying on something because he couldn’t see, was undergoing a truly amazing change. The flowers on both sides swayed as he moved.

“Master, where are you going!”

“Stay there.”

He retorted and moved further away from me. Thanks to that, the distance between us became quite large.

When he reached the edge of the flower garden, he stopped. Still not knowing what was going on, I just stared blankly, and as if responding to my question, he turned around and slowly took a step.

He was walking towards me.

He was really ‘walking’ towards me.

He was walking towards me on his own two feet, without groping around with a cane or being supported by someone.

I was so surprised that my eyes widened. I couldn’t believe it even though I was seeing it with my own eyes. There have been moments in my life when I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but this was the most powerful.

“Oh my god.”

I gaped in shock. I even forgot to breathe. Vincent approached me without the slightest hesitation. The distance, which had been quite far, was quickly narrowed, and I watched without blinking as he reached out his hand to me.

Soon after, he grabbed my hand tightly. I blankly looked up at him standing right in front of me. As if he could see my expression, Vincent smiled softly.

“How is it?”

“Actually, you can see, can’t you?”

I shouted in excitement. Vincent’s lips curved up even more.

“I practiced a lot. You knew that.”

“I knew, but I thought you were practicing walking with a cane. I never imagined you would practice walking alone. Weren’t you afraid of falling?”

“I was scared. But I knew how to overcome it.”

“What is it?”

“I thought that even if I fell, I could just get up again.”

Just that? It wasn’t even something you could call a method. But I know that it wasn’t easy for him to accept that obvious fact.

“You said before, think of it as adventuring in the dark right now. So you have to be brave. It was an absurd thing to say, but it wasn’t bad. You just have to think differently, right? Even if I fall while walking alone, I can just get up again and walk as if nothing happened. The important thing is that I walked to the end. Right?”

“Right.”

“I’ll do as you say, so you do the same.”

“……”

“You said you’d stay by my side. That no matter how much I kick you out, you’ll keep saving others, and if they can’t be saved, you’ll be with me forever.”

Suddenly, he erased his smile and narrowed his brows. He must have remembered when he heard those words. This time, I burst out laughing.

“When I think about it, you’re as arrogant now as you were then.”

“I can’t help it. That’s who I am.”

I smiled brightly and looked up at him. At my answer, he relaxed his brows and chuckled. Now, there really isn’t a man who’s just stuck in his room, trembling in fear. Now he will become healthier in both body and mind. I liked seeing his change.

“How was it, even for a moment, wasn’t it a good thing to be alive?”

“Pardon?”

“You got to see something good.”

He suddenly asked. I didn’t know what to do with myself at his consideration of calling himself something good to see. But like Vincent said, for a very brief moment, seeing him walking alone, I really thought it was a good thing. I was glad he didn’t give up. At that moment, I was truly happy.

So this time, I couldn’t argue. I tried to pull up the corners of my mouth, which kept drooping, and shouted energetically.

“Yes!”

Although it was a short time, I had many conversations with Vincent. Starting with trivial stories, reminiscing about the past, and expressing complaints, we focused on each other’s time like that. As time passed, the regret only grew.

It was the first time I regretted parting.

Embarrassed by the unfamiliar feeling, I poked the ground with my toes for no reason, waiting for Lenika to give me the laundry as usual.

But I was surprised to see Lenika who arrived a little later. Her eyes were red and her nose was bright red.

“Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing happened.”

Her face didn’t look like nothing happened. When I asked again what was wrong, she just kept shaking her head. Her face looked like she was about to burst into tears, so I took her hand and headed to a secluded spot between the Separate Residence and the bushes. It didn’t seem like something to talk about in an open space.

We sat side by side there. A deep worry filled Lenika’s face. Considering her usual cheerful self, something really serious must have happened. She was someone who had given me a lot of advice, knowingly or unknowingly, while I was living in this mansion. So if there was anything I could do to help, I wanted to help, and if I couldn’t help, I wanted to at least listen.

“Can’t you tell me what’s wrong? I can’t be of much help, but I can listen to your story. It might lighten your heart if you tell someone.”

“……”

“It’s okay. I’ll keep the secret of what you’re telling me now.”

Then I waited patiently, and after hesitating for a long time, Lenika slowly moved her lips.

“…A few days ago, a maid and a servant disappeared.”

“Disappeared?”

“Yes.”

She nodded heavily once.

“The two were lovers. They were secretly dating without anyone knowing.”

“And then?”

“But… the two were caught dating.”

“How?”

“They must have been sneaking out of their rooms and meeting often at night. Last time, they secretly came out at night and were caught by Isabella. But unfortunately, the butler was there with her at the time.”

My eyes widened. You can’t necessarily think it’s strange for a man and a woman to meet at night, but if it happened often, it wouldn’t have been just innocent meetings. As if my thoughts were correct, Lenika nodded again with a gloomy face.

“That’s right. It was a situation where they shouldn’t have been caught.”

“……”

“The two were punished. In addition, one of them had to leave this mansion.”

So they eloped? As if reading my question, she shook her head and retorted.

“No. The two disappeared, but they didn’t disappear willingly.”

“What does that mean?”

I frowned at the incomprehensible words, and Lenika turned to look at me. Her eyes were still swollen and the tip of her nose was red. Now that I see it, her cheeks are also red. But her expression as she looks at me is stiff.