Chapter 48

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 48

Chapter Title: The Secret Maid of the Count's Family (1)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

‘Stop staring.’

‘Pardon?’

‘My face is stinging.’

I’d been checking on him intermittently while reading my book. No, truth be told, I’d been watching him every single moment. He must have noticed, because he furrowed his brow.

‘Don’t worry. I’m not going to die.’

‘…….’

‘I’m fine.’

Really, I’m fine. He said it firmly in that calm voice of his. I wanted to believe it was true and feel relieved, but the anxiety lingering in a corner of my heart only grew day by day.

His profile, turned toward the window, looked resigned yet somehow at peace. Perhaps he’d known all along that something like this would happen someday.

I was worried about Violet, who had left that day. Letters from her, which had come every other day, had suddenly stopped. When I asked Ethan, he said she’d made it back safely, thank goodness. But hearing that she cried in her room every night left me feeling heavy-hearted. How tough must it be for her alone? I thought about writing her a letter, but I held back, afraid it might stir up unnecessary trouble.

Ethan patted my shoulder reassuringly as I fretted.

‘Violet’s strong. The strongest among us, so don’t worry. She’ll bounce back soon.’

‘Okay.’

In that moment, I desperately hoped his words were true. But it wasn’t a simple matter. All I could do was pray that Violet wouldn’t suffer any more deep wounds and that none of them would face further pain.

As always, I was on my way back after delivering laundry to Lenika and picking up the fresh batch.

“Paula.”

I turned at the sudden call to find Lucas standing there. He was dressed for going out.

I hadn’t seen much of Lucas since that commotion. Once Vincent shut himself in his room, Lucas rarely emerged from his own.

Ethan had looked busy and left the mansion a few days ago. Before departing, he’d met with Vincent, then come out to say goodbye to me.

‘Take care of Vincent for me.’

His voice lacked energy, and his face was full of regret. It was so unlike him that I ended up patting his arm this time. Whether my encouragement reached him, Ethan broke into a wide smile.

With even Ethan gone, only Lucas remained in the mansion.

So this was our first conversation in a while.

“Master Lucas, are you heading out?”

“I’m planning to leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan. My brother had work, so he went ahead.”

I was surprised for a moment but nodded soon after.

“Will you be okay?”

I recalled how Lucas had trembled in fear upon seeing James. It wasn’t just shaking at the sight of a frightening foe—it was an older, deeper emotion. And what he’d said then... Oh!

I’d momentarily forgotten amid all the bigger events. It was something I shouldn’t have overlooked. Feeling guilty and flustered, I tried to hide it, but Lucas didn’t seem to notice. He continued calmly.

“I’ll be fine. Thanks for worrying.”

“......It’s a shame you’re leaving.”

“Really?”

Lucas grinned mischievously, but I nodded right away. It was true. His presence had filled this quiet mansion quite a bit.

He smiled even more warmly.

“Then, will you hang out with me today?”

“Today?”

“Yeah.”

My eyes went wide. Lucas extended his hand to me.

“Give me your time today, Paula.”

‘It’s the last time, after all.’

He said it so sweetly that I couldn’t refuse. After getting Isabella’s permission, I quickly got ready and followed him to the town below the mansion. I’d always wanted to visit but never dared—somehow, I ended up going with him.

As soon as we entered, lively noises burst out. The town was vast, seemingly endless, with large, ornate buildings. Even though they shared the same color scheme, each one had a unique shape. It felt less like a town and more like a grand city.

The place buzzed with people. Folks hustled about their work, housewives gathered here and there to chat, and children dashed through the streets, laughing and playing.

Deeper in, we reached the shopping district. Merchants shouted to attract customers.

It was worlds apart from the village I’d grown up in. I’d never seen a place this big, so everything felt so novel. I kept whipping my head side to side, too absorbed in looking around. Lucas took my hand in his. Startled, I looked up at him, and he smiled casually, gripping it tighter.

“Can’t have you getting lost.”

The contact was a bit embarrassing, but I didn’t pull away. With so many people, it was easy to lose one’s way, and today was his last day, after all.

“Paula, over here.”

He led me to a street stall. A few young women were already crouched there, browsing the goods. Vibrant, colorful trinkets laid out on a cloth caught the eye—each one prettier than the last.

As I admired them, Lucas picked one up. It was a hair ornament shaped like a large flower bloom flanked by two smaller ones in a circle, wrapped in vines. He placed it in my hair.

“Looks pretty.”

“Oh, thank you.”

I touched the ornament. The vendor, saying it was a fine choice, offered it cheap, and Lucas reached into his jacket. I quickly stopped him.

“I’ll buy it as a gift.”

“Just looking is enough for me.”

“I want to give it to you.”

“Really, it’s fine. Aren’t you hungry, though?”

I deftly changed the subject, and he narrowed his eyes. It was a dissatisfied look, but I ignored it and pointed to a nearby restaurant. I urged him to eat since I was starving, and he sighed, pulling his hand from his jacket.

“That place isn’t as good. This one over here is tastier.”

“Then let’s go there.”

I swiftly removed the ornament from my hair and pushed his back.

The restaurant he took me to was large and crowded. Must be popular. He deftly found a seat and ordered.

Soon, platters of food arrived, filling the table. Who could eat all this? And it was all stuff I’d never seen before.

I grabbed the nearest fish dish and took a bite. It melted smoothly in my mouth, making my eyes go round. Goodness. I took another piece, then tore into the meat dish beside it. That was delicious enough to melt my tongue too.

I devoured everything so eagerly that my stomach filled up fast. Exaggerating a bit, I felt like I might burst. Still, so much was left—it was a shame. I wished I could take it all back to the mansion.

“Was it good?”

“Yes. Incredibly so.”

Thanks to that, I was too stuffed to walk comfortably.

“Any place you want to go?”

“Hmm. I just want to wander around the town and see everything.”

“Sounds good. Let’s explore then.”

Lucas took my hand again. This time, I gripped his tightly too. He smiled happily and led the way.

We strolled through the town hand in hand like that. It was bigger than I’d imagined, full of wondrous sights. I got so caught up gazing around that I nearly lost him once, bought street food to snack on, and even accidentally wandered into a sketchy alley and hurried out. At one point, my legs ached from getting lost, so I crouched on the roadside to rest.

But through it all, we kept laughing. Even the hardships were fun. For this moment, I decided to set aside my complicated thoughts. I had to force it if need be. Otherwise, an inescapable sadness would torment us both. I didn’t want that right now.

It was a fleeting time.

Before I knew it, the sun was setting amid all the sightseeing. I worried about Vincent, who’d be asleep by now, and it was nearly time for his dinner. We had to head back to the mansion.

I looked up at the sunset sky, then at Lucas. He was watching the sunset too. The crimson glow dyed his face. Sensing my gaze, he turned and smiled as always. But was it the light? A hint of bitterness tinged his smile.

We made it back to the mansion before the sun fully set.

“Paula. I had a great time today.”

“Me too.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth wide. It really had been fun. I’d been so down lately, and this day was a huge comfort. But with Lucas leaving too, the mansion would truly echo with silence, which made me a bit sad.

“I need to prepare the Master’s dinner, so I’ll head in first.”

I quickened my steps toward the mansion, in case Vincent was waiting.

“Paula.”

Then Lucas called me. I turned to see him standing stock-still, looking at me. The sun set behind him, shadowing his face so I couldn’t see it well.

“Master Lucas?”

“Paula.”

“Yes.”

He paused for a moment. He seemed hesitant. What was he trying to say? I waited patiently, and he continued.

“I’ll never forget this moment. Ever.”

His voice carried a hint of laughter. Though his face was hard to see, I could picture him smiling. Was that why he’d hesitated? It was nothing much. If another chance came, I’d love to go out like this again. Next time, with Vincent, Ethan, and Violet all together. Imagining that day, I smiled back.

“Me too.”

Then I turned and headed into the mansion.

I went straight to Vincent’s dinner. I hadn’t even changed clothes, rushing as I was, but he refused it, saying he had no appetite.

“Just one bite.”

“I really don’t feel like it.”

“Still...”

“I want to sleep. Leave.”

He’d slept all day, yet he was adamant. I tried everything to get him to eat even a spoonful, but he turned toward the wall, curled up tight, and closed his eyes. I regretted not bringing some tasty food from town.

Understanding his state, I didn’t force him. Instead, I left the meal on the bedside table, saying he could eat if he got hungry later, and left the room.

I sighed and went to my room to change out of my outing clothes. After fixing my disheveled hair, I stepped back into the corridor, where darkness had already fallen.

Looking out the window, I saw no sign of Lucas. He must have gone to his room? Even so, I scanned the view outside. Then I worried about his dinner. Assuming he was eating alone, I headed to his room.

I knocked, but no response. I knocked again. Still silence. ‘Master Lucas? I’m coming in.’ No answer.

The room was empty. No trace of him having been there. Puzzled, I checked the corridor window again. The spot where he’d stood moments ago was still empty. Maybe the dining hall? But he wasn’t there either.

Had he left already? His luggage was still in the room, though. Just in case, I checked places he might go. But Lucas was nowhere to be found.