3 - The Time of the Blind Beast (15+ Revised Edition) Episode 3
Chapter 3
Madam Serva seemed to have returned to that day. For her, who had dedicated her life to the Valdemara family until she became an old woman with white hair, the young master’s shabby appearance, as he had hidden away in the countryside, fleeing from all human contact on a snowy night, must have remained a shock she could not bear to acknowledge.
This would be even more so if that master were a soldier who returned with great achievements, waving a black flag on the battlefield.
“It’s inevitable that rumors travel slowly when one is in a remote place like Derosa. I only learned what happened in Claris after Ezekiel-nim arrived. Because I was away for so long fighting in the war, they apparently had no one they could trust at the main house. How desperate must they have been to seek out an old person like me, living out my remaining years in this remote corner of the world.”
Madam Serva had been at the main house in Claris when she was young, but as she aged, she took charge of the Derosa estate and settled there. Even as a housekeeper, the estate was smaller than Claris, and there weren't many staff, making it a perfect place for a quiet life.
However, with a man suddenly appearing, she had to hastily recruit staff and even took on the role of head attendant. It was a somewhat confusing position, but since it was a separate villa far from the main house, and the staff was kept to a minimum, no one particularly minded.
“I heard you raised him.”
Rose brought up the story circulating within the mansion. It was so well-known it was hardly a rumor.
In noble families like the Valdemaras, it was common for a lady’s child-rearing to be delegated to loyal confidantes. This was why the man, who harbored extreme suspicion and wariness towards his employees, trusted and relied solely on Madam Serva.
“That’s right, I fed, clothed, and cradled Ezekiel-nim with my own hands.”
Madam Serva nodded.
“If only I were twenty years younger, or even just ten, I would care for him as I did then, but I’ve grown too old. My dimming eyes can’t properly see his face, and these legs can’t stand for hours. In the past, I could hold and soothe Ezekiel-nim all day without feeling tired…”
Regret flickered in the old woman’s eyes.
“He needs more help now than he did as a child. It’s truly an unforgivable tragedy. To be inconvenienced just because my eyes aren’t what they used to be is one thing, but for his perfectly fine eyes to go blind while he was briefly asleep after the ceremony… how can he bear such a shock?”
What must it feel like to be unable to see?
Rose recalled being led to his bed last night. For a fleeting moment, she shared his vision. Darkness, as if her eyes were open or closed, that damp, overwhelming fear.
“…Of course. It must be an unimaginable torment. It’s only natural that he cannot trust people.”
Blindness felt like being plunged into the middle of a dark blue sea. No matter how much she flailed, surrounded only by black water, sinking infinitely into the abyss.
A shiver ran down her spine. Rose wrapped her arms around herself.
“Honestly…”
Wrinkles formed around Madam Serva’s aged eyes.
“Just who could that woman have been?”
The old woman muttered to herself, her vacant gaze cast into the air.
“Have you heard anything about the culprit, Rose? That woman whose identity is unknown, whether she was truly an employee of the Valdemara mansion or if she approached under the guise of being one.”
Rose looked at Madam Serva in silence. The Madam continued, her tone firm.
“Still, it’s obvious who is behind it.”
The man, Ezekiel, had also pointed to someone behind the scenes. Achenaus. The eldest son of the Valdemara family, two years his senior.
“Sibling rivalry within a family isn’t an entirely rare occurrence. However, I never expected Ezekiel-nim to be driven out in such a state. Frankly, it was entirely thanks to Ezekiel-nim that Achenaus-nim could remain safely in Claris.”
When war breaks out, men are generally conscripted, but there were a few ways to avoid enlistment. If the family risked extinction due to a lack of heir, or if an elder or younger brother had already enlisted.
The Valdemara family had two sons who were both young and unmarried, and since Ezekiel had taken the initiative to accept a commission as an officer, Achenaus remained in Claris under the pretext of defending the main house, rather than volunteering for the military.
“Ezekiel-nim saw the woman’s face himself, yet he cannot explain it and is unable to apprehend her. What a hellish situation that must be. The culprit might be very close by.”
“…Do you have any idea who the culprit is?”
“Well, I’ve sent people to inquire. But honestly, it will be very difficult to achieve results. I left Claris too long ago, so even hearing Ezekiel-nim’s account, I can’t even guess who it might be. There’s also the possibility that Achenaus-nim spirited her away already.”
Madam Serva, a person of the Valdemara blood to her core, showed discomfort but could not bring herself to refer to Achenaus carelessly.
“I see.”
“Even if we draw a composite sketch of the culprit, how can we identify someone with only the information that she was a woman with brown hair, when Ezekiel-nim, the sole witness and victim, cannot confirm her features?”
Brown hair is the most common color. Perhaps half of the employees in this mansion alone would have brown hair of varying shades.
Rose shook her head.
“It’s difficult.”
“But I believe that woman must be quite beautiful.”
Madam Serva added in a low voice.
“If she had a striking feature, he would have easily identified the suspect. But he never mentioned anything of the sort. The absence of any distinguishing features means she is harmoniously beautiful. What do you think, Rose? Don’t you agree?”
“Well. I… I don’t know.”
It was a difficult topic to answer. Rose chose her words carefully.
“Perhaps she is a woman who is so ordinary that she has no distinguishing features?”
“Ah, Rose, you don’t know the Valdemara family well. Actually, I suspect she might be someone who had a private, deep relationship with Achenaus-nim. In that case, she would naturally be beautiful.”
Madam Serva was almost certain.
“I don’t know how much I regret leaving Claris. I should have stayed at the main house and watched with my own eyes what kind of women came and went around Achenaus-nim.”
As if the very woman were standing before her, Madam Serva brandished her cane threateningly. Then, losing her balance, she stumbled, and Rose quickly supported her.
“Does Ezekiel-nim think the same way?”
“Probably. Even though I left the main house long ago, I know the atmosphere of the Valdemara family, where I’ve spent my life. I don’t think the employees of the main house harmed Ezekiel-nim. After all, their lives depend on the rise and fall of their master’s family; what courage would they have to betray the main player in the Rose Wars?”
For a time, due to his military achievements, people in Claris would think of Ezekiel before Achenaus when Valdemara was mentioned. Naturally, the employees would have hoped for Ezekiel to lead the family.
Madam Serva glanced sideways at the area around Rose’s head. To prevent hair from falling into the laundry, she had tightly wound her hair and was wearing a headscarf.
“I saw Rose on the first day. Honestly, if Rose’s hair color hadn’t been red that day, I might have suspected Rose as the culprit. Because she is such a beautiful young lady.”
Rose was momentarily taken aback and retorted.
“Red… color?”
Her voice was terribly hoarse after only a few words. It seemed it would take quite some time for her vocal cords to return to normal.
“What did you say, Rose? I couldn’t hear you.”
“No. Nothing. It was just a thought.”
Madam Serva patted her shoulder with a sympathetic look.
“Your voice has been quite rough since earlier. It sounds painful to speak with that metallic rasp, and I can’t hear you properly. You must not be feeling well, so let’s stop for today and get some rest early, Rose.”
The area assigned to Madam Serva’s employees was the third floor. The first floor was where Ezekiel, who had difficulty moving, and Madam Serva, who cared for him, primarily stayed. The second floor was used as a storage room for miscellaneous items such as decorations and furniture from the first floor.
While the use of lamps was strictly prohibited on the first floor, the same restriction did not apply to the employees’ rooms. Above all, it was impossible to cook, clean, or boil water for bathing and laundry without using fire. With Madam Serva’s permission, fire and lamps were lit where necessary, albeit discreetly. Furthermore, even if not visible to the master, employees had an obligation to maintain a neat appearance.
However, everyone voluntarily tried to use as little fire as possible, needing to get accustomed to the mansion’s darkness. There was also a tendency to avoid bright lights, as suddenly facing strong light after being in darkness could make even healthy eyes feel strained and irritated.
Rose slightly pulled back a corner of her bedroom curtain. Light from outside seeped in at an appropriate intensity. Sitting with her back to the light, she took a small glass bottle from her travel bag. The transparent liquid, half-full, sloshed.
“Just who could that woman have been?”
Madam Serva’s lament echoed in her ears.
A woman with brown hair, with Achenaus Valdemara behind her, and according to the Madam’s speculation, a beautiful woman who might have had a private, deep relationship with the eldest son of the family.
Some of it was true, but some of it was false.
