Chapter 38
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Episode 38
No matter how I thought about it, the only thing that could make her fall for me so completely was this face.
Whenever she saw his face, hers would flush and pale in rapid succession.
She couldn't even meet his gaze properly, and those delicate fingers of hers would tremble weakly.
So it was certain.
She had fallen for his face.
So breathtakingly beautiful up close.
'I need to find a way to become human again. Quickly.'
In truth, I hadn't come without a plan.
But that method was far from certain.
Moreover, to execute it, I first had to reveal to Grace that I could transform through words.
'...I'll have to tell her eventually, but.'
Still, I wanted just a few more days with her—unguarded, natural days.
That's why I'd been using my mother as an excuse to buy more time.
What I hadn't anticipated was her hiding away from me so completely.
Huff!
Snorting, he pawed at the ground as if he might bolt down the stairs at any moment.
The emotion had certainly started with Grace Oellin, but now it seemed I had fallen even deeper.
But what could I do? My eyes kept finding her. I kept wondering about her.
I wanted to be by her side.
Especially, I wanted to see Grace smile.
My own foolish behavior felt strange, yet when I acted that way, Grace gradually opened up to me, and I loved it.
It was the first time I'd ever shared so much of myself with anyone.
'What is this, exactly?'
Lucas gazed out the window with distant eyes.
At the thought of Grace, his restless tail swayed back and forth, betraying his heart.
I wasn't sure why, but I loved seeing Grace smile.
Even without eating, I felt full.
I didn't know why, but getting to know her was a joy I'd never experienced before.
'But the most fun part is definitely teasing her.'
...This was a secret I couldn't let slip.
At first, I simply enjoyed seeing her various expressions.
But then, discovering she had far more expressions than I'd expected, I became even more fascinated.
Each one was as radiant as a jewel.
I felt I could watch them all day without ever tiring.
Pfft—oof.
Lucas's forehead bumped against the window.
Though he'd seemed ready to charge out in frustration, he buried his face in the soft curtains and laughed silently.
A short distance away from the sight of the massive black horse with his head buried in the curtains.
"...."
"...."
Three maids who had come out to clean the Lobby in the distance exchanged glances as they wiped the stair railing.
Though they spoke not a word to one another, they recalled as one the employment contract they had signed upon entering this Estate.
[Rule 1 of the Rules of Black Estate.
Remain undisturbed by whatever you witness.
Though you have eyes, see as though blind; though you have ears, hear as though deaf.
Fear not, and show no fear; when confronted with the utterly unbelievable, simply choose not to believe it.
Most importantly, should you witness anything amusing, never—under any circumstance—laugh aloud.]
'I trust you will commit this to memory and uphold it faithfully. Rule 1, Article 1 in particular is of utmost importance. Should you honor it, lifelong rewards shall follow; should you breach it, however....'
Haem, who had explained the contract, had regarded them with a smile that was kind yet subtly frigid. It was the sort of smile that required no further elaboration—the implications were perfectly clear.
Rasha, her yellow hair marking her fourth year in the Estate, jabbed the shoulder of Lania, who had been here only six months and whose pupils trembled as her mouth hung agape.
"What are you doing? Get back to work."
"But, wait—just now...."
"Hush. Lania. Hush."
Ash, in her sixth year, held a finger to her lips and shook her head. Then, as if demonstrating, she adopted an expression of utter obliviousness and began applying wax to the stairs below. Rasha followed suit, her hands resuming their diligent work as she added her voice.
"Let's have a drink together later. It's time for Lania's initiation. I suspect we'll have quite a lot to discuss. Don't you think, Ash?"
"Splendid idea. The more we drink and the less we remember the next day, the better."
"As it happens, I've recently obtained some rather excellent liquor from Cotti. Cotti made it personally, or so I'm told—it's wonderfully sweet and delicious. Made from rice, it's beautifully milky and delightfully sugary."
"Perfect. But for now, let's focus on cleaning."
"Yes, let's clean. As though we've seen nothing at all."
Lania, who had been standing dazed, finally came to her senses and resumed her work.
The three of them cleaned the stair railing quietly, calmly, and diligently—like people who had witnessed nothing.
And so the railing of the Black Estate grew cleaner still, as it did every day.
* * *
"Sigh... I suppose it's time to head back inside."
Grace Oellin snapped back to awareness, having been lost in contemplation of the azure sky.
Thinking that surely no one would be around by now, she brushed herself off and began to rise—when something happened.
Something cold and impossibly smooth coiled around her ankle.
'What...? What is this?'
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, Grace Oellin glanced down at her ankle.
A gleaming white form wound around her leg, slithering up along her skirt with deliberate grace.
"...What on earth is this?"
The elongated creature lifted its smooth head, meeting Grace Oellin's gaze directly.
"Oh...?"
Hiss.
A forked crimson tongue flickered briefly past its lips before withdrawing.
Eyes as red as blood itself fixed upon Grace Oellin with an unwavering stare.
"A snake?"
Surely this couldn't be a snake?
Her eyes widened in shock, and though she nearly cried out, she restrained herself.
I had never seen a snake in person before, though I had read about them in books.
The texts spoke of serpents as massive as tree trunks, capable of swallowing humans whole.
They mentioned that some ornately patterned snakes possessed lethal venom.
But there was nothing written about a snake so small and white as this.
Then again, even among birds of the same species, there existed countless varieties—how many more must exist among snakes?
'...Does it carry venom?'
I watched the snake intently, my concern evident.
The snake, too, seemed fascinated, observing me with equal stillness.
Its ruby-like crimson eyes never left my form.
Hiss.
The snake carefully wound itself around my shoulder, ascending higher.
I flinched.
The sensation of the snake against my neck and earlobe was far softer than I had anticipated.
It felt cool, yet strangely pleasant.
And yet, the gentleness of its movements made me reluctant to brush it away.
"You won't bite me, will you?"
Perhaps it was the remarkable intelligence evident in its demeanor.
I asked while gazing into those brilliant crimson eyes, so full of keen awareness.
The snake, which had been watching me quietly, gave a subtle shake of its head.
'Did it just... answer me?'
Intrigued, Grace Oellin posed another question.
"May I touch you?"
The snake, having regarded me silently, then smoothly moved, nestling its head into the palm of my hand.
A small serpent's head struck against her defenseless palm.
Grace's eyes widened in surprise.
'Does it truly understand human speech?'
Whether by coincidence or genuine comprehension, she couldn't say, but one thing was certain—the serpent showed no signs of attacking her.
"It's strange, really... the sensation."
She expected warmth, yet felt only coolness instead.
She smiled and carefully caressed the serpent's long body as it slithered across her palm.
Sss, sssst.
The serpent slowly coiled around her arm, ascending with deliberate grace.
Its gently swaying tail seemed almost as if it were seducing her.
The white serpent tightened its grip around her palm, wrist, and shoulder before releasing, then tightened again.
That subtle, exquisite pressure made my body flinch involuntarily.
"This is a bit ticklish..."
I raised my other hand, offering it to the serpent to distribute its weight.
My short-sleeved garment left my hands and wrists completely exposed.
The serpent's eyes narrowed, and it immediately shifted to my other hand.
The hand bearing the curse mark.
"...Miss!"
At that moment, a distant voice called out to me.
As I turned my head sharply, something sharp pricked the tip of my finger.
"Oh!"
Startled, I turned back to see the serpent lift its head and regard me.
Those mesmerizing crimson eyes fixed upon me before it abruptly turned away.
The serpent twisted its body and vanished as swiftly as it had arrived.
"What was that?"
It felt as though I'd been enchanted.
A drop of crimson blood fell from my pale fingertip as I stood motionless, dazed.
* * *
"A snake?!"
Julie had grown weary of waiting and descended to search for Grace herself.
Grace emerged from the grass with a bewildered expression, extending her hand.
"Yes, a snake bit me."
"What?!"
Julie, startled, immediately dragged Grace to her room.
"Stay here. I'll call for a physician! No, wait—let me at least administer first aid."
"No, no, it's fine. Look, the bleeding has stopped, and there's barely a wound."
It had stung, but the creature wasn't particularly large-fanged.
Seeing no unusual symptoms around the bite marks suggested the snake carried no venom.
"Just wrap it in a bandage for now. I'll have Notia examine it later."
"But—"
"Come on, it's nothing serious, I'm telling you."
As Grace said, the snake bite on her finger left no significant wound.
Though the sharp fangs had left it slightly swollen and reddened, it was scarcely worse than an insect bite.
'If His Excellency learns of this, he may very well hunt down that snake and kill it.'
Grace recalled that Lucas despised snakes.
The white, elongated serpent had been beautiful, but she could not leave a creature Lucas detested within his domain.
She wished to speak quietly with the Butler alone and have the snake driven away.
'Animal or not, I cannot simply leave it to perish.'
It had bitten me, yet it seemed to harbor no malice.
Those intelligent crimson eyes suggested it was no ordinary serpent.
And now that I thought of it, it bore striking resemblance to the snake I had seen in a dream long ago.
That alone made me unable to abandon it.
"I understand, Miss. You must have your reasons. Still, should anything seem amiss with the wound, please tell me at once."
Julie complied without hesitation, deferring to Grace's judgment.
Returning with medicinal supplies, Julie skillfully disinfected the wound and applied salve with practiced care.
"By the way, Miss, something about this Estate seems rather peculiar."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org