Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Viktor opened his mouth.
"Since when?"
"Since last year, I think."
"...Since last year?"
"Yeah. I guess I've been under a lot of stress."
Viktor grabbed Scarlett's arm as she tried to brush it off casually.
"Tell me in detail."
"No, I'm not comfortable enough with you to tell you such trivial things."
"I don't think it's a problem we can just gloss over."
"It's as you see it. What do you want to hear?"
When she asked that, Viktor was at a loss for words.
Scarlett had never seen Viktor make such a complicated expression. So, that man does have emotional changes, it seems.
"If you have nothing to ask, let go."
"I'll have a doctor ready when we return to the capital, so get it checked."
"There's no need for that."
"What do you mean, there's no need?"
"It just happens sometimes, briefly. And the memories come back quickly. I'm probably just tired."
Scarlett was trying her best to make Viktor understand that she was fine.
As soon as they returned to the capital, Scarlett was forcibly dragged by Viktor to the hospital, with no other choice.
"Viktor Dampfelt is stubborn," Scarlett said to the doctor during the examination. The doctor, unable to agree with the criticism of Viktor Dampfelt, awkwardly chuckled and then examined Scarlett.
A little later, the doctor came out of the examination room first and said to Viktor.
"For now, there don't seem to be any visible problems. Doctors usually say that such symptoms appear when there is a great mental shock. And..."
"That's enough."
The doctor was afraid of Viktor, and since he hadn't found anything, he was rambling, trying to say something more. Viktor cut him off as if he was bored.
Soon after, Scarlett came out of the examination room, putting on her coat.
"Are you satisfied now? If you stop me again, I'll call the police."
At her words, Viktor wore a relaxed smile, relieved to have confirmed that there was nothing wrong with her.
"If you call, I'll come."
"..."
Scarlett sighed and turned away. It was a southern trip that was completely different from what she had planned.
*
It was supposed to take two weeks one way or another, but thanks to joining Viktor's group, they solved it in a week and returned to the capital.
Andrei looked at the gravel that the sailors had brought and said.
"So, you went all the way to the south to pick up stones."
"Not just any stones."
"Anyway, stones are stones."
"That's true, but somehow, it feels bad."
"I don't understand at all why you feel bad when I call a stone a stone."
Scarlett talked to Andrei like that, then moved her bag to the second floor and pushed it under the bed.
Andrei pushed the bag in for her and said.
"To others, they're just stones. You don't need to hide them so preciously."
"They're not just stones to me, so I'm going to hide them."
Scarlett said that and then said with a proud expression.
"Great. This is enough to make many new Crimson Clocks."
"Are you really going to make new ones?"
"Yeah. If I can persuade them well."
"You should persuade people who are reasonable, those people aren't."
At Andrei's nagging, Scarlett smiled.
"If they're not, I'll have to use strong-arm tactics."
"Ah, you're going to cause trouble again."
"...I'll keep it small this time. Anyway, I'm going to see Isaac."
"Yes, go ahead."
Andrei said and immediately returned to the first floor.
Andrei usually nags a lot, but he never interfered with Scarlett going to see Isaac. It was because he knew what Isaac meant in her life.
Scarlett unpacked, changed into clean clothes, and took the Tram to the lake where Isaac worked.
The most important reason she had to live was always Isaac Crimson. If it were announced that the Crimson Parts that Evil Crimson had put into the Crimson Clock were faulty, Evil would definitely harm Isaac Crimson. She was planning to get Isaac out of the Crimson Manor before that happened.
When Scarlett arrived, Carel, the raft manager, called Isaac for her.
"Young master! Your sister is here!"
Then Isaac smiled and nodded from the end of the lake.
Soon after, Isaac returned and approached Scarlett.
"Scarlett, how was the south?"
"Yeah, it was fine. And... it was faulty, just like I thought. The Crimson Parts."
"I see."
Isaac nodded as if he expected it. And he said as if it were natural.
"We'll have to issue a recall."
At his words, Scarlett laughed happily and answered, "Yeah." Isaac was the first to say that so readily. The quality of the Crimson Clock was the pride of the family, and the legacy of their parents.
Scarlett continued.
"I think it would be better for you to leave the Crimson Manor, since you might be in danger."
At her words, Isaac refused unexpectedly firmly.
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"If I leave the Crimson family, I won't be able to prove that that house is our house later. I don't know where the house deed is, or what the situation is."
As he said, with Evil Crimson already siphoning off a lot of wealth, there was no guarantee that the house deed was still in Isaac's name. Still, Salantie valued whether someone actually lived in the house as much as the document when claiming rights to the house, so he seemed to be planning to hold out in the attic for now.
"That's true, but..."
"Scarlett."
Isaac fumbled and held Scarlett's hand tightly, smiling brightly with his beautiful face.
"I'm twenty-two years old. I'll protect myself. You do what you have to do."
"I don't need that house anymore. It's not worth protecting if it puts you in danger."
"I do. To me... that house was everything."
At Isaac's words, Scarlett paused.
Isaac smiled again.
"I want you to be able to come to that house whenever you want. Live there if you want to live there, rest if you want to rest. Until then... I want to protect that house."
"..."
"As the head of the Crimson family, I want to do at least that much. Can you understand my feelings, Scarlett?"
At Isaac's gentle voice, Scarlett soon smiled as if she couldn't help it. Then, in a cheerful voice, she answered, "Yeah. I understand."
Just as Isaac was the reason she had to live, the Crimson Manor might be the reason for him. If so, she couldn't dare to take away Isaac's reason for living.
Isaac said.
"Scarlett, you be careful too."
"Yeah. I'll be careful."
"Okay."
Isaac fumbled and carefully cupped Scarlett's cheek, then let go.
Soon Scarlett left, and Isaac immediately said to Carel, the raft manager.
"I think I'll have to leave work early today. I'm not feeling well."
"Yes? The guests who came to see the Count are waiting... Well, it can't be helped. You're our young master. You should rest whenever you're tired."
Since Isaac was a great asset with the power to attract customers, Carel was anxious that the asset might quit.
Honestly, he had even had bad thoughts about deceiving him and signing a long-term contract since he couldn't see.
However, it wasn't long before Carel realized that Isaac wouldn't sign any documents unless his sister checked them. Isaac didn't trust anyone other than Scarlett to an excessive degree.
"Well. Besides, it's the first time you've said you're sick and resting."
"Did I?"
"Yes. You're usually so diligent."
Carel said. Of course, sometimes he was strangely cold, but that would be resolved when Scarlett visited periodically.
'Isn't he relying on his sister too much...?'
Carel often worried.
