38 - The Time of the Blind Beast (15+ Revised Edition)
Chapter 38
"Protecting others and my country was my daily life."
The man who said protecting others and his country was his daily life, why is he so cruelly abandoned when he himself is in danger?
It was a question.
And he wanted to beg anywhere.
Please don't let that man be wronged.
Isn't a world where good people's efforts go unrewarded and evil people's desires are rewarded too cruel?
"...What if there's a way?"
The first words were impulsive.
"A way?"
"Perhaps..."
Rose took a deep breath.
"It might be possible to treat him."
She hadn't expected to admit the future she had so feared with her own lips. That there was a possibility of his recovery.
"Are you sure?"
Her consciousness blurred, still not fully prepared. But her lips moved against her will.
"I don't know. But there is a doctor willing to attempt an antidote, and the Major's will is also strong. Miracles... they say they stem from will."
Rose looked directly at Merlo.
"Expulsion from the family isn't an urgent matter that needs to be decided immediately, is it?"
"Well... that's right."
"So please ask His Excellency to continue to draw Achenaus Valdemara's attention as he has been."
For now, they had to prevent Achenaus from approaching this mansion at all costs. The moment that man appeared would be ruin.
After securing Achenaus, Rose continued her plea.
"Regarding the Major's status, he can decide for himself after receiving more treatment. If his sight is lost forever, I will take responsibility and obtain a waiver. If you need a guarantee, I will write a letter. But if his vision returns..."
She tried to force a smile.
"Since the son initially chosen as heir was the Major, it wouldn't be bad news for His Excellency either."
"Then what about you, Miss?"
Merlo retorted.
"Honestly, the relationship between you and Ezekiel is clearly not ordinary at first glance. But you won't be able to become the Mistress of the house of Valdemara. No matter which family you look at, there's never been a case where a mere maid became the mistress of a great house. Perhaps a mistress, but not the mistress."
"...That would be true."
After all, if her sight returned, she couldn't stay by Ezekiel's side.
"Don't worry. I don't want to be a bothersome burden to the Major either. If necessary, this too..."
Rose cleared her throat.
"I am willing to write a waiver to prove it."
"Are you serious?"
Whether serious or not, it was something she had to do to avoid harming him. So she answered.
"Yes."
"Huh, this is unexpected."
"..."
"Of course, if you can do that, Miss, we will also be relieved of our worries, so it's a good thing. But I don't quite understand. After experiencing only the women who caused trouble at the main house, seeing you is truly..."
Merlo tilted his head.
"It's not my place to say as a mere errand boy, but no, it's Valdemara, don't you feel any desire at all? If you're deeply involved with Valdemara privately, you could try to push your luck, but to back down immediately, how should I put it... should I say you're excessively well-behaved, or that you have a suspiciously lack of desire? You're readily agreeing to step back as if you'd already anticipated this day and thought about it in advance. It's strange."
Merlo's observation was accurate.
With Dr. Briman's treatment decided, Rose had been constantly imagining this future. She had to, as it was a matter of her own fate.
Rose controlled her expression and replied.
"I simply know my place. It wouldn't be good for me if I incurred the displeasure of a great family like Valdemara."
"That's amazing. Not many people know when to back down appropriately, but you certainly aren't acting foolishly."
She felt no joy from such admiration.
She felt as if all her energy had been drained. A terrible fatigue washed over her.
"...Then let's conclude our business here. I need to go inside now."
The conversation had unexpectedly run long, delaying them considerably.
She glanced sideways at the slightly ajar window. She had bought herself time by using the excuse that Ezekiel showed signs of menstruation and that she would wash alone, then used the window to create today's opportunity. This method of contact was devised by taking advantage of the fact that the entire front of the mansion was covered by curtains.
"Just a moment."
However, Merlo's objection was faster.
"I'm not finished yet. Aren't you curious why I didn't ignore or pretend not to see the note and came to this place?"
Rose's steps, which had been turning away, faltered.
"The first day I saw you, Miss, you were slicing lemons in the kitchen."
"Yes. And?"
"Northerners are generally naive. No one seemed to know what you were using the lemons for. And it wouldn't be the method Ezekiel chose either. The contraception soldiers know is ultimately the method prostitutes use, and they even make specialized instruments for it."
Could he have been watching her closely enough to see her pilfering lemon slices?
Now, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't even muster a forced smile.
"It's not a commonly known method, and at first glance, it's shocking, yet it's also a method devised to maintain a certain elegance. I know someone who practices contraception in that way. Originally, such matters are the responsibility of the lower-ranking servants."
Her palms began to feel damp with cold sweat.
Merlo, belonging to Valdemara, would surely know about Achenaus's romantic entanglements. Furthermore, when a woman using the same contraception method appeared right before him, it was natural for him to suspect her identity.
It was an unexpected misstep.
"You might be able to gain a more prominent position than you have now. Fortunately, I have connections here and there. If you wish, I'm willing to introduce you to good opportunities, what do you say?"
This errand boy was more cunning and devious than he appeared. The flirtatious remarks, feigning interest, were all traps to test her.
Now that he no longer needed to deceive Rose with a cumbersome pretense, Merlo revealed his true intentions without hesitation.
"Furthermore, as an errand boy for the Valdemara main house, I have the duty and responsibility to verify the identity of the woman who has taken up residence next to Ezekiel."
The man's interrogation sent a chilling sensation down her spine.
"Who exactly are you?"
7. His Orbit and Her Orbit
Rose is acting strange.
Ezekiel listened for Rose's presence. Today, she sat alone, lost in her own world. He wondered what she was pondering so deeply, as she either didn't answer when called or responded with a delay. Or she would do the same thing multiple times. She swept the room, swept, swept, then wiped, wiped, wiped. Even if unseen, the floor would surely be sparkling without a speck of dust. It wasn't work Rose necessarily had to do, but she was the type to seek out tasks, so it was useless to stop her.
Meanwhile, she had forgotten the lemon tea she diligently prepared every night for the past few days. When he casually mentioned it with a smile, she was surprised with an "Ah," and brought it out, seeming to be half-lost in thought from time to time.
She was told it was a period when she wasn't feeling well, so she bathed separately and postponed their nights together, yet her energy seemed to be less than before. Every night, when he held her close, she would remain still in his arms but seemed unable to fall asleep. Fearing she would disturb him, he would lie motionless for a long time, then occasionally shift slightly, which felt different from the natural movements of someone sleeping.
He was frustrated and anxious.
If he could see her expression, he could easily figure out what was bothering her, but in times like these, he felt a renewed bitterness towards that damned Achenaus and his woman.
"Rose, are you perhaps feeling unwell? Shall I call a doctor?"
"No."
Even her voice, as she answered, seemed to be trying hard to sound okay. It was more frustrating because she was the type to suffer alone and not complain to others.
"Then why are you..."
"Major, would you like to take a walk in the garden together?"
Their voices overlapped as they spoke simultaneously. Ezekiel quickly used his quick wit to close his mouth and listened to Rose's request.
"A walk?"
"Ah... the rain has stopped, and there are many clouds today, so the moon isn't visible. On a night like this, I thought it might be alright for you to go out."
In truth, the garden wasn't a suitable place for a blind man to enjoy a walk. Even in his faint memories from long ago, the mansion's garden was vast. Of course. After all, it was a branch of Valdemara. It was built on a scale befitting the family's reputation. Moreover, the garden didn't have precisely designed paths like the mansion.
Stepping stones across the garden? Unless he crawled on the ground to check their location, there was no way of knowing where they were.
Furthermore, the garden was maintained with minimal care. Unlike other regions, the north, where blizzards frequently struck, was not an appropriate environment for winter landscaping. And because the curtains covered the windows, there was no one to admire the garden, so Madam Serva drastically cut the costs of garden maintenance. It wouldn't be surprising if the garden had become desolate over the past winter.
However, pleased that the listless Rose had suggested doing something, Ezekiel answered immediately.
"Yes, let's go out."
