Chapter 21
21
*
Wednesday, Scarlett headed to the Crimson estate. No matter how the world changed, her routine remained the same.
Lying on Isaac's attic bed, Scarlett said,
"I feel so empty these days."
"Do you?"
"Yeah. I feel so useless."
"Don't say that."
Isaac carefully pulled Scarlett up by the arm and sat her on the bed. Then, groping, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and said,
"I would have died a long time ago if it weren't for you."
"It wasn't that much..."
"It was more than that. I lived by devouring your childhood. Like a monster that eats people."
"Why are you saying that?"
At his words, Scarlett momentarily shook off her sadness and frowned.
He carefully pressed his forehead against Scarlett's. When Isaac lost his parents and his sight, and then his words, Scarlett comforted him without even having the mind to grieve. Every day, she would bump her forehead against his like this and smile, saying, "But I'm here."
Every time he thought about that, Isaac felt like a monster that shouldn't exist in the world. His own sister was being abused right next to him, but he was lost in his own sorrow, and even after he came to his senses, he was constantly cared for by Scarlett.
Isaac looked at her and smiled, as kind as ever, and said,
"So don't say things like you're useless."
"Okay, I won't. But..."
"But if you're still sad, let it all out here. I'll listen to everything."
Isaac said, then grinned as if to cheer her up.
Scarlett smiled faintly at the thought that even though she was useless, she had saved at least one person in the world. And in her opinion, it was quite a success.
She soon opened her mouth.
"I want to go to the treehouse."
"The treehouse?"
"Yeah. I often think about playing there with Mom, Dad, and you. Especially on snowy days like today. Remember? We used a really cool toy Mom made to draw candies."
"Ah, I remember. That toy might still be in the treehouse."
Isaac said and got up.
"Let's go."
"To the treehouse?"
"Yeah. Marilyn and Arnold are grown up now, so they don't go there much."
This house belonged to the siblings, but there weren't many places they could freely roam. This attic and the basement where Scarlett stayed were their spaces. Scarlett became anxious at the thought of being scolded by her uncle, but she felt like it would be okay to sneak a peek if it was just for a moment.
"If we find the candy-drawing toy, I think it's worth getting scolded a little."
Scarlett found a cane and placed it in Isaac's hand.
Isaac enjoyed himself, trying not to let his expression harden as he followed Scarlett, who was leaving the attic. Scarlett, who seemed to have lived so much more of a life than him, still had some immature aspects. For example, she was always worried about whether her actions would get her scolded.
The two soon headed to the treehouse. It was about a ten-minute walk from the mansion. It was a magnificent structure that the two geniuses had put their heart and soul into creating. When they went inside, they found shelves full of good liquor.
Scarlett grumbled.
"Drinking liquor here. It must be Arnold's doing, right?"
"Probably?"
"I wonder where the toy is."
Scarlett looked around the treehouse and bit her lip, feeling like she was about to cry. The scribbles on the log walls were still there.
[Rule 1. Don't cross the line.]
Scarlett barely smiled as she looked at the line drawn on the floor.
"Remember? We used to fight all the time about not crossing over to each other's side. The line is still there."
"Where?"
At Isaac's words, Scarlett stood him where the line was. Then Isaac smiled and said,
"Even now, I think your side is bigger."
"No, it's not? Your side is bigger."
"Want to switch?"
"No."
The two bickered and then laughed quietly.
Fortunately, the items inside seemed to be considered part of the interior, so not much had been moved. The servants always cleaned, so there wasn't even any dust. Scarlett took a box off the shelf and placed it on the floor. Then, looking at the wooden lock, she said,
"The password is cherry pie."
"You remember that?"
"Of course, I do."
Scarlett hooked a wooden stick into the gear grooves and turned it this way and that, arranging the letters in order, and the box opened. Inside was the candy-drawing toy, and even some candy.
Scarlett wound up the Clockwork and tossed the toy like a die, and a candy popped out. When she took out the candy, the music box inside the toy re-weighed the remaining weight of the candy that had been removed, and soon the music box turned, selecting a song according to the last number.
The two were immersed in memories, continuing to draw candies until all ten songs had played. As they were spending time like that, they heard a commotion from below. The siblings soon realized that they had been here for too long and went down the stairs, which had been made low for children.
When they went downstairs, they found Arnold had brought his friends. Arnold, already drunk, grabbed Scarlett's arm and said,
"Who told you to come in here? Did you steal something from here?"
"Steal what? There's nothing like that."
Scarlett stepped back, and Arnold's friend said,
"I heard your housemaid got divorced, and it's true."
Arnold's friends had always called Scarlett Arnold's housemaid. Scarlett thought that she was lucky to have gotten married as soon as she became an adult every time she saw Arnold's nasty friends.
Scarlett tried to leave with Isaac, but Arnold blocked her.
"Where are you going? I'm not done talking."
The smell of alcohol wafted from Arnold. Arnold's friends surrounded Isaac and said,
"He's finally coming out of the house?"
Then they touched Isaac and tried to take off his bandages. Isaac quickly dodged. Before she could even feel that his movements were too agile, Scarlett hurriedly stopped them.
"I brought Isaac out. He needs to rest now..."
At that moment, Arnold snatched the toy from her hand.
"What's this?"
"Mom made that."
When Scarlett tried to grab it back, Arnold tossed it to another friend.
Scarlett was about to go that way when Arnold tripped her, causing her to fall. Knowing that she was falling, Isaac hardened his expression and turned his head towards the sound.
"...Scarlett?"
Then, without even feeling the pain, Scarlett got up and apologized to Arnold.
"I'm sorry. I won't come again."
Arnold bent down and pushed Scarlett's forehead with his finger, causing her back to hit the tree.
"Are you really reflecting?"
"Yes."
"Why are you bringing Isaac out and making him suffer?"
"I won't do that again."
As Scarlett spoke, Arnold grabbed her chin and said,
"If you're reflecting, you should kneel first. You can't even remember what I say..."
At that moment, Arnold fell to the floor. Isaac, who had knocked him down, continued to kick him, and because his face was there, Arnold screamed once more. Arnold's friends rushed over to grab him, but it wasn't easy to beat Isaac without everyone sticking to him.
"Isaac! Behind you!"
At Scarlett's shout, Isaac waved his hand behind him and grabbed Arnold's arm, who was trying to hit him. Then he swung his other hand, grabbed his hair, and punched his face repeatedly.
Scarlett, realizing that he wouldn't stop until Arnold's face was covered in blood, grabbed Isaac's arm.
"Isaac, stop it. You'll kill him!"
As soon as she grabbed him, Isaac stopped his arm, and Arnold screamed, covering his face.
"You crazy bastard. Get out of my house right now!"
Then Isaac said,
"What are you talking about? This is my house."
"Don't you know our father is still your guardian? Do you think you'll be safe after doing this!"
"Do you think this family will be yours if I die?"
Everyone fell silent at Isaac's words.
Isaac continued, his voice filled with anger.
"If I die, Scarlett becomes the head of the family. And I won't die alone. I'll kill you and your father and die. So that only Scarlett is left in the world as a Crimson."
Even Scarlett was surprised and widened her eyes at Isaac's words.
Arnold's voice trembled, feeling threatened.
"What nonsense is this crazy bastard saying..."
Isaac followed Arnold's voice, wiped his bloody hand on his clothes, and grabbed Arnold's neck again, who was trying to push him away, and said,
"I was originally so dirty and mean that I sold my sister and lived comfortably, just like you always say. But now I'm going to live a little uncomfortably."
"Ugh!"
Arnold wanted to take his hand off, but he couldn't overcome his strength at all. He didn't know because he was always lying down, but Isaac had already grown taller than Arnold, and his hand, as pale as his face, had a grip he had never felt before.
Isaac, who was strangling Arnold's neck, let go just before he passed out. Arnold's friends hurriedly supported him and took him to the mansion.
Isaac turned to Scarlett and smiled.
"Let's go."
Scarlett hugged the toy and looked at Isaac with a dazed face. The kind and innocent light returned to Isaac's face as he looked at his sister, with blood splattered on his fists, face, and even his white shirt.
"I'm sorry, did I scare you?"
"What are you going to do, hitting someone like that?"
Isaac said in a flustered voice.
"Someone..."
Then, with a worried face, he groped for Scarlett and said,
"There's no one like a person in this world to me except you."
"..."
"There's just you in my world. I told you, I can do anything for you."
At his words, Scarlett's fingertips trembled more intensely.
Scarlett had been secretly grateful that Isaac Crimson, who had lived in the attic for a long time, was growing up to be just a kind and warm person. She was amazed that he could grow up so kindly in this situation, but she thought that her brother was a warm person by nature, just like her parents. To Scarlett, Isaac's actions that she saw now were by no means normal.
Still, as Isaac came closer, worried, Scarlett forced a trembling smile.
"Still... still..."
She didn't know what to say to Isaac. Not at all.
