Translator: Nox

Chapter 34

34

Viktor was helping Scarlett out of the carriage when he saw Andrei coming out of the store.

"The manager?"

A few days ago, he had received a report on Andrei from the men he had assigned to guard the area around the store.

[Abnormally strong]

A talented individual who used to work for the Dumpelt Family.

That was how Blight had described Andrei. He also said that while he was a bit aloof, he was surprisingly not bad at socializing.

Viktor was quite doubtful as to why someone managing assets would need to be so well-trained. However, he didn't have the luxury to think that far ahead for now. Right now, Scarlett's condition was the problem.

Viktor knew that his presence wouldn't help Scarlett calm down.

He had Andrei support Scarlett and immediately turned away. But Scarlett turned to look at the carriage Viktor was in.

Andrei glanced at where her gaze was directed and then said, "Shall we go up to the second floor?"

"Huh? Oh. Ah, I'm fine."

Scarlett smiled and stood up straight. Then, she smiled at Andrei and said, "Thank you."

Still, seeing Andrei had brought her back to her senses.

Andrei was aware of Scarlett's abilities. She felt relieved that at least this man was here because he clearly wanted to work with her. It was truly fortunate that there was at least one person in the world who was by her side of their own volition.

Scarlett sat in the chair in her workshop for a short while, and soon she heard the sound of a cane. And soon, Isaac came up to her workshop, supported by Andrei.

"Scarlett."

Isaac said with a bright face.

"Sir Viktor told me to stay here..."

"Ah."

Scarlett quickly wiped away her tears and smiled along.

"Welcome."

"It smells exactly like Mom and Dad's workshop."

Isaac said in a cheerful voice.

Scarlett led him to the bed and sat him down, then said to Andrei, "Thank you, Andrei."

Then Andrei whispered in a small voice, "If I had known the main store was such a dangerous place, I would have gone with you."

"I didn't know this would happen in a place with so many eyes watching," Scarlett said with a nonchalant smile.

Andrei looked somewhat displeased, but he didn't say anything and went back down to the first floor to take care of the store.

Isaac was looking around with a bright face as usual. Scarlett gathered her strength and sat next to him.

She wanted to see Isaac's eyes, but knowing how hard he was trying to hide this fact from her, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Isaac stammered, covered Scarlett's hand, and asked worriedly, "Why are your hands so cold?"

"Ah, I was outside for a while," Scarlett said in a cheerful voice. "More importantly, let's go out and eat delicious things from now on."

"Delicious things?"

"Yeah. And let's go to a perfume store too."

"Ah, now that I think about it, maybe I could become a perfumer? I know scents really well."

"Oh, that's a good idea?"

"Right?"

Scarlett felt like she was suffocating to death, but she gestured with her hands and feet so Isaac wouldn't notice anything as she talked.

Scarlett fell asleep after midnight, and Isaac sat quietly in the chair with his eyes closed. He couldn't sleep because of the pain in his eyes.

He had touched Scarlett's hands on and off while they were talking today, but they never warmed up. Seeing her bring up gourmet food and perfume, it seemed like Scarlett had finally given up on his eyes.

Isaac thought that maybe Viktor or Arnold had told Scarlett about his eyes.

Isaac clenched his fist tightly.

"I want to see."

Scarlett had given up because she didn't want to hurt him anymore, but he was the opposite. Far from giving up, his desperation only grew. And for a moment, his eyes throbbed again, so he covered his eyes with one hand and muffled his mouth with the other.

Scarlett was asleep. He felt like his sister would wake up if he made even a little noise here.

Isaac endured the groans, even scratching his cheeks with the hand that was covering his mouth. But at some point, he felt like he was being stabbed in the eyes with a knife, and a groan escaped.

Scarlett opened her eyes at the sound.

"Isaac?"

She hurriedly got off the bed and knelt in front of Isaac.

"Why? Does it hurt?"

"Ah, no. I'm okay."

"Wait a minute. Let me take off the bandage."

Isaac shook his head, but Scarlett was already unwrapping his bandage. Isaac couldn't move, afraid that he might accidentally hurt Scarlett if he waved his hand away.

A moment later, the bandage was removed, and Scarlett froze.

Isaac raised his head.

"Is it weird?"

"..."

"Tell me it's not weird, Scarlett..."

Scarlett tried to act like everything was fine somehow. But she was suffocating, and she couldn't do it as she pleased.

This was what he was like. Isaac even had to hide his pain so that Scarlett wouldn't feel sorry.

"Scarlett."

Isaac groped around, afraid that Scarlett would distance herself from the hideousness that had surprised everyone.

Scarlett soon reached out and took his hand. Only then did Isaac feel relieved.

"I feel safe when I have your hand."

"..."

"Scarlett, say something."

When Isaac became anxious, Scarlett soon smiled.

"Ah, sorry. Perfume... let's go buy perfume. Tomorrow."

When she said that, Isaac tilted his head for a moment.

"Isaac?"

"Just a moment..."

And Isaac, who had touched his own eyes with his hand, moved towards the window. And he groped for the curtains and opened them.

"Isaac? Why?"

Scarlett asked, but Isaac didn't move.

"Isaac."

"The moon..."

"Huh?"

"Is the moon over there?"

Scarlett raised her head when Isaac asked. As he said, there was a full moon.

"Yeah."

"I can see it..."

"...Huh?"

"I can see the moon."

Scarlett blankly looked at him at Isaac's words.

Isaac couldn't take his eyes off the moon, and soon he looked at Scarlett. Isaac said to Scarlett, who was slowly becoming breathless, "I can see the moonlight, Scarlett."

Scarlett was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly asked, "You can see the moonlight?"

"Yeah!"

"What about other things?"

"Only moonlight for now..."

"Wait a minute!"

Scarlett hurriedly took Isaac to the first floor. And she started to light the firewood that she had turned off, out of her mind.

Scarlett, who had frantically fanned the fire, raised her head.

"Isaac. This? Can you see this?"

Then Isaac's face, which had been turned towards the firewood, brightened. He nodded.

"Yeah. I can see the flames."

"Really..."

Scarlett covered her mouth with both hands. She ran around like a child and turned on anything that could light up.

She turned on all the gas lamps in the room, and when there were no more lights to turn on, she ran outside. Isaac was led outside by Scarlett's hand.

In the meantime, the twilight was gradually brightening as the sun was about to rise. Scarlett pointed to the lights here and there and asked.

"What about that?"

"Um. Yeah. I can see it."

"What about that too?"

When Scarlett dragged him around here and there and asked, Isaac stopped in his place and soon laughed cheerfully.

"I'm telling you, I can really see the light."

Then he turned his body towards the direction where the sun was rising.

"I can see the sun too."

"You can't look that way. It'll hurt your eyes."

"Ah, that's right."

Isaac quickly turned around.

Scarlett went back to the store and brought the glasses she used when she was working. And she smeared soot on them to darken them.

"Here. You won't be able to see if you cover them with this."

Then Isaac took the glasses and put them on. And he looked around and smiled brightly.

"Wow, I can still see the light."

Scarlett laughed happily at the words that were good to hear no matter how many times she heard them. But after a brief laugh, a burst of sorrowful tears quickly followed.

"I'm glad."

"Scarlett."

"I'm really glad..."

She couldn't bear the guilt towards Isaac. She wondered if he had been dragged here against his will.

Isaac hugged Scarlett, who had burst into tears, tightly.

"You were right, Scarlett. As always, you were right. You... your choice..."

Scarlett couldn't finish her words properly and cried, feeling sorry for hurting him and feeling happy at the words that he could see the light, and Isaac comforted her.

The bright moon that had disappeared at the age of thirteen rose in the darkness that seemed like it would last forever.