Chapter 71
71
71. The Baron Returns (1)
It was early dawn. The Forest Mansion was bustling. Every servant was quickly dressing and leaving their rooms. Audrey personally woke those who were still not fully awake. I quickly washed and shook Alicia awake.
Then, we hurriedly dressed and followed the others. Emerging from the mansion, everyone was gathered outside the gate. Audrey stood at the head of the servants lined up in two rows, with Joelly in front of her.
Everyone was looking into the distance. I joined the line, trying to be inconspicuous, and looked where everyone's attention was focused. Soon, a car appeared in the distance. The sleek car stopped in front of the mansion.
A man got out of the driver's seat and opened the back door. A leg emerged and touched the ground.
"You've arrived."
Audrey immediately bowed. Following her, all the servants bowed. I also bowed, caught up in the moment.
"Welcome!"
Joelly's voice was full of joy. I could hear footsteps approaching someone who had gotten out of the car. Thud—the sound of the door closing followed.
"You've worked hard. Welcome. Nothing much has happened here."
"……."
To us, who were bowing, it sounded like Joelly was talking to herself. There was no response throughout her chatter. Nevertheless, she prattled on excitedly. Alicia, standing next to me, kept glancing upwards. It wasn't just Alicia; others nearby were also rolling their eyes up and down.
The one-sided conversation abruptly stopped. Everyone held their breath and perked up their ears.
"I saw you yesterday."
A heavy voice broke the silence.
Alicia's eyes widened at the sound. Then, she narrowed them, as if trying to figure out who the voice belonged to. The servants, who were experiencing this situation for the first time, also looked puzzled. Among them, I, the only one who knew the voice, froze stiffly.
How could I forget it?
The voice I had heard so much of.
Thud, thud—footsteps grew closer.
"There's no need for such a troublesome welcome."
"Oh, come on. I had to see you. How is it?"
"How is what?"
"How is it here, I mean."
Then, they stopped nearby. I gripped my hands tighter. My heart pounded as if it would burst through my skin. There were two or three people in front of me, so even though I knew it was okay, I bowed my head even lower.
My crown tingled.
"You've gained some."
"It just happened."
"Don't play too much. It'll become a nuisance later."
"Don't worry. I won't cause you any trouble."
"I hope you keep that promise."
After the sarcastic remark, the footsteps faded away. Only after a certain distance had been created could the servants lift their heads. While maintaining their gaze forward, some, unable to contain their curiosity, quickly glanced to the side. Alicia was no exception.
I carefully turned my gaze to the side. That moment felt incredibly long. Soon, I saw a man standing opposite Joelly.
A large hand ruffled his neatly combed golden hair. It was a gesture that seemed to mix annoyance. After talking to Joelly for a moment, he suddenly turned this way.
At that moment, our eyes met.
I saw him, and he saw me. No, he was looking at the many servants here, not me. But I was looking at him. My gaze, from the moment it reached him, never wavered.
In those emerald eyes that clearly reached this side, in that face that was looking directly this way, I realized once again.
That his eyes could really be seen.
And so I knew. The death of Lucas, which made my heart ache just remembering it, which I didn't want to remember, yet which remained in a corner of my heart, and for whom I had wished more than anyone to be happy.
'Lucas…….'
I knew of your death.
My eyes stung. I couldn't even blink, afraid that the rising moisture would turn into droplets and fall. The sight of Vincent blurred. The gaze that had been fixed here was quickly withdrawn.
Vincent turned his body. The thud, thud sounds faded away. The servants were all looking at him. Now they all knew who he was. The well-groomed and handsome master made many women blush and feel shy.
"Sister."
It was a dazed voice. Turning my head, I saw that Alicia was also looking at Vincent. Her profile, without a single blink, felt ominous.
"That man must be the owner here. Right?"
"……Yes."
"Oh my god."
As the owner of the mansion left, the servants returned to their places. I left the dazed Alicia behind and quickly left the place. My pace gradually quickened, and I eventually ran. I forgot the warning not to go into the forest.
I ran into the forest for a long time. Then, I changed direction and went down the slope. My skirt fluttered, my clothes became disheveled, and the fallen leaves scattered on the ground stuck to my body, but I didn't care. Instinctively, I knew where I had to go. So I kept going down, pushing through the bushes, and finally escaped the forest completely.
And I stopped in front of the scene that unfolded before my eyes.
The blocked breath cleared, and I slowly exhaled. Behind the panting, my eyes scanned the front. The wide view, too vast to take in at a glance, contained mansions of various sizes and gardens connecting them. A fountain with water jets shooting upwards caught my eye. And beyond that, the forest surrounding the area.
Why did I only realize this now?
Why did I only now realize the identity of this strange Baron family?
I didn't doubt it at all. I didn't even think to. This was in the middle of a forest quite far from where I had been, and there was no one I knew well. Even the family was different.
But the familiar sight before my eyes shattered my peace of mind.
Vincent hadn't come here as a guest. I realized this when I saw him being greeted by the many servants of the mansion today.
This was the Bellunita family's mansion,
And the Baron had returned to the Baron family.
He had.
Vincent had.
My body, which had been leaning on a tree, collapsed. I sat down on the ground and blankly scanned the vast view. Then…… then I let out the sadness that I had never been able to express, leaving this place.
"Hic."
Tears flowed from my closed eyes and fell. They left traces on the ground. I covered my face with both hands. I curled up and burst into tears at the sadness that weighed on my chest.
Before the unexpected reunion, before I could even feel that emotion, Lucas came to mind first.
Perhaps I had been deluding myself. That Lucas was alive, that he was doing very well. Even though the last image I had seen of him was enough to haunt my nightmares, I had believed it. Perhaps he had forgotten the brief crush he had on a maid and was happily finding his beautiful partner, I had been deluding myself like that.
But as soon as I saw Vincent, when his eyes clearly reached this side, I recalled the meaning of Lucas's words.
'I will give it to my brother. My world.'
What was the truth hidden behind his bright smile?
What was he thinking at the last moment? What was he thinking as he watched me walk away? I was too scared to ignore his death. Nevertheless, knowing his kindness to me, all I could do was express my sadness. I desperately hoped that his last moments were a little less difficult.
"Hwaaa!"
Because that was all I could do for him.
I was just a character in one page of their story. I had no power, and I didn't think anything would change because of me. But for the first time, I hated that part of myself. It was painful to even realize that feeling.
I was so useless, unable to repay even the person who had helped me, so it seemed that no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do, and I felt so miserable.
But on the other hand, I felt relieved. Because there was nothing I could do, it was okay to run away like this. What could someone like me do if I stayed? I would only cause trouble for those around me. I comforted myself like that.
I think I'm being punished now.
No, did I come here to be punished?
"Ugly, Ugly."
Robert poked my side with a wooden block. I sat blankly and didn't react. My head was spinning with complicated thoughts.
Should I run away? Should I run away? Maybe I should run away. It was like walking into the very place I had avoided for fear of death. If I had known, I wouldn't have come. I'm crazy. Wouldn't it be better to run away now?
I recalled what I had learned about this mansion. All the servants here were people I had never seen before. Of course, in the past, I had only stayed in the Separate Residence, so I hadn't seen many servants employed by the Baron family. Only a few, but even those few servants were not visible.
And most importantly, Isabella was not there.
As far as I knew, she was the chief manager in charge of all the servants of the Baron family. I remembered that she was the person in the highest position after the butler. But I couldn't see her anywhere. Currently, Audrey was taking her place.
What's even stranger is that the butler is nowhere to be seen either. Is he too busy to pay attention to this Forest Mansion? If so, that's a relief, but I keep getting strange thoughts. It's as if all the servants in this mansion have been replaced…… like that……. Surely, how could that be?
Fortunately, since neither the butler nor anyone else is here, I'm relieved that I won't be in immediate danger.
But the most important problem has not been solved.
What if the butler eventually visits this place and sees me? Since Vincent is here, it's not impossible.
Wait, then who is Joelly? What is her relationship with Vincent?
"It's strange."
"What is?"
……Did he get married in the meantime? Come to think of it, there was news of an engagement in the newspaper.
"Maybe."
"What is?"
"That is."
At that moment, I suddenly came to my senses. Nanny and Robert, who were sitting on either side of me, were looking at me with puzzled eyes. Seeing their wide-eyed faces, the thoughts that had wandered off returned.
"What's strange?"
"Ah, no. It's nothing."
"Ugly is strange."
"Haha."
I forced a smile and composed myself. As I needlessly tidied up the messy toys, I felt suspicious gazes fixed on my back. Nanny, shall we work?
"Where have you been rolling around?"
"Yes?"
Turning around at the sudden question, I saw Nanny staring intently at my back.
"Your clothes are wrinkled. And this too."
Nanny took something off my back. It was a fallen leaf. I had shaken it off while coming up, but it must have still been there. I forced a smile, took the leaf, and stuffed it into my pocket.
"You played alone!"
"No, no."
"That's not fair! Me too! You should have taken me too!"
"It's not like that."
"Where did you take him?"
My body stiffened at Nanny's question. She didn't know that I had taken Robert into the forest. I had also glossed over the wound on Robert's knee, saying that he had fallen while running. I had changed his clothes as soon as we returned to the mansion, so the excuse worked.
But there was an unexpected variable called Robert.
"To the forest!"
"Ugh, young master!"
That mouth doesn't listen. My hand, which had been trying to stop him, stopped in mid-air. A chilling voice came from behind me.
"Forest……?"
Unable to bring myself to turn around, I swallowed hard. Why does it feel so cold around here?
