1 - The Time of the Blind Beast (15+ Revised Edition) Episode 1
Part 1
Chapter 1
1. The Beast's Mansion
I opened my eyes to the storm rattling the windowpanes. The way the clouds had been drifting since afternoon was ominous; it seemed to have been a prelude to the dense rain and wind.
The incessant patter of rain quickly turned into a downpour. Thunder roared, and lightning struck. In an instant, I jolted upright at the flash of lightning that pierced through the black curtains.
Without even a moment to throw something over my pajamas, I left the bedroom. The hallway, lined with numerous windows, was even more chaotic. The strong wind made the latches rattle in unison, letting the wind seep in. Each time, the curtain hems, reaching down to the floor, fluttered darkly.
Passing by windows that shook as if they would break, I ran down the stairs and stopped before the deepest door in the hallway. The employees were already gathered there. Their number was meager compared to the mansion's scale.
From beyond the tightly shut door, a groaning sound that scraped the throat echoed. With each irregular flash of lightning, the groans grew deeper.
Tension filled the air, marked by clear signs of pain.
"What shall we do? I opened the windows this afternoon to let in some fresh air, but it seems they weren't properly secured."
Amidst the anxious murmurs, someone called for the butler.
"Where is Madam Serva?"
"She's likely been held up by the storm. It's unfortunate she's away on a day like this..."
Everyone wrung their hands, yet no one dared to volunteer to go in first. The reason was simple: one could walk in on two feet, but there was no guarantee of walking out on two feet.
She passed the hesitant employees and grasped the handle of the tightly shut door. With a creak, the door opened a crack, and everyone fell silent. However, no one tried to stop her. After all, someone had to go in and manage the room, and it was fortunate that someone was stepping forward.
I took a bold step forward.
I let go of the door.
Thump. The sound of the door closing behind me was heavy.
The room was filled with the smell of dampness brought by the downpour. The unlatched windows swayed in the wind, and the double-layered curtains repeatedly billowed into the air. Rumble, thunder sounded, and lightning flashed. Pale light illuminated the surroundings, then faded.
The man was on the bed, covering his eyes with both hands. Though he suppressed his groans, his clenched jaw twitched constantly with pain. It seemed he couldn't find anything to cover his face, as the blanket had slipped to the floor.
I first picked up the fallen blanket and draped it over the man's body. Then, I went to the window and closed the unlatched window. Even if the latch was a bit loose, I securely tied the hem to the hook on the wall below to keep the curtains from fluttering. The lower curtain hooks were unique to this room.
The sound of rain continued, but as the light was blocked, the groans that had been lingering between the man's teeth gradually subsided.
Did he say he felt a pain like his brain was being split by even the slightest light?
A person's eyes are a vital spot that their physique cannot hide, and a person's eyelids are too soft and thin to protect such a vital spot. Every time lightning struck, it must have been torture for the man.
This was why the mansion was shrouded in black curtains on all sides.
The Black Night Lightning was still fierce, but it was insufficient to pierce through the double-layered curtains. Nevertheless, there were moments when the shadows in the room deepened slightly.
I slowly approached the man.
"Are you alright now...?"
I couldn't even finish my sentence.
Suddenly, my vision was inverted. Before I could even gasp, I was pulled into the blanket. It was a speed I couldn't believe was possible for someone blind, like that of a beast.
The thick blanket completely blocked my sight. The faint outlines of shadows disappeared, and darkness consumed everything. Whether I opened my eyes or closed them, the color didn't change. It was boundless darkness.
The warmth of his body and the unfamiliar scent of another person permeated the blanket, overwhelming me. It was the scent of a bitter medicinal tea, widely known for its benefits for headaches and sleep, and the deep alcohol smell of high-proof wine. Amidst it all, a subtly sweet grassy scent was mixed.
Medicine and alcohol. An extremely contradictory pairing. Moreover, I could barely sense any trace of sleepiness or drunkenness from the man.
My senses snapped back as a rough hand grabbed my body and moved upwards wantonly. But by then, the man's grip had already crossed my wrists above my head, binding them. It wasn't just his hands. My thighs, pressed hard by his firm knee, ached terribly. Every movement was swift. My limbs were restrained. It was a miracle I didn't scream.
Suddenly, hot breath tickled my left cheek. The man's face was closer than I expected.
"There are usually two reasons why maids sneak into their master's bedroom."
Even in that moment, he seemed to have brought his face even closer, as I felt a distinct touch graze my earlobe. I felt a hard bone structure. It was warm from his body heat, yet not as soft as lips. It was likely the tip of the man's nose.
A chillingly low whisper followed.
"An assassination attempt."
The man, who had been holding his back straight with his limbs supporting him like a table, slowly lowered his upper body. His firm knee pressed deeply into my thigh and slid downwards. It hurt so much that I gasped for breath. Tomorrow, long bruises would surely follow the marks.
Meanwhile, the man pressed his body completely against mine, pinning me down with his weight. The pressure I bore with my entire body was like that of a boulder.
"Or a tryst."
Against a man whose physique and weight far surpassed mine, any struggle was futile from the start.
"Or perhaps both?"
My chest, pressed against his, rose and fell rapidly with his breathing. Since I hadn't put on an outer layer in my haste, the warmth of our bodies was trapped within a single layer of nightgown. The man must have been sharing the same sensation.
I slowly took a breath.
"...If that were the intention, a woman skilled with weapons or one attractive enough to handle a man would have come, rather than someone like me who doesn't even know how to hide her presence."
A snort of laughter was heard.
"What, did something get crushed?"
"...I'm not particularly attractive."
"What does it matter to a blind cripple if the face is missing an eye, nose, or mouth? He would have judged that as long as there's a hole to penetrate, it's enough."
"You're making baseless accusations."
"Accusations?"
The man's grip on my wrists tightened, his fingers digging in. Another hand, which had crept in from the side, grabbed my cheek, then moved past my jaw to clutch my throat.
"Do you know who ruined my eyes?"
"..."
"It was a maid, just like you."
My airway was compressed, causing me to cough.
"Do you know how they were ruined?"
"..."
"They poured poison into my eyes."
The grip on my throat tightened, completely blocking my windpipe.
"You snuck in while I was drunk and asleep. That was the welcome greeting I received from my brother right after returning home victorious from war."
The man's tone was leisurely, unconcerned with my precarious state as I struggled for breath.
"In a single day, I became a cripple who tripped and fell every few steps, unable to even lift a spoonful of soup to my mouth with my own hands."
"Hk..."
"But did Achenaus truly feel at ease just because I became a cripple?"
The man asked himself and answered.
"Of course not. My eyes are blind, but my lower half is still functional. What if I were to secretly father a child with that thing? That would be a disaster. Wouldn't it?"
"Huk..."
"His petty heart must be crawling with fear, wanting to eradicate it completely."
"......Ugh."
"Now, tell me. What did Achenaus say when he sent you here?"
His tone was deceptively gentle.
"My..."
"Did he say the price for your life would be generously compensated?"
My consciousness flickered. My uncontrolled limbs convulsed. My heartbeat grew abnormally loud, then faded, repeating the cycle. My vision had already been pitch black for a long time.
My weakened limbs went limp. Sensing the imminent suffocation, the grip on my throat loosened slightly.
Air barely passed through. Instinctively, I took a rapid breath. A dizzying headache accompanied violent coughing fits. Tears streamed down unconsciously, and saliva dripped. My nose tingled, and my ears rang. It was just a brief respite, yet it felt as if every opening in my body had burst open at once.
"Because of the rain, the window, the window..."
The moment I opened my mouth, I doubted my hearing for a second. The voice that came from my throat was unbelievable. It was filled with a metallic sound, like fingernails scraping across a steel plate. My vocal cords were completely hoarse.
Before he could choke me again, I managed to answer in my severely damaged voice,
"I was trying to close it, cough, I... "
"Why so boring?"
A dry response returned. Based on his tone alone, I couldn't even guess what expression he was wearing. Not just his expression. Due to the blanket that completely blocked my sight, I was now as good as blind.
"I... I will prove... I will prove it."
I didn't even have time to waste on coughing. Without the luxury of clearing my throat, I blurted out.
"Prove? Prove what?"
A casual question came back. Still, not a shred of warmth could be felt in the man's voice.
"Somewhere on my body..."
Even as I uttered just a few syllables, I coughed again.
"Search me thoroughly, touch and feel, to see if any of that poison is hidden. If you are still suspicious after that, you may dispose of me as you please, and I will comply."
