CH 61

Odette had dug the pit with all her effort, and the damp earth was now smothering her hands. She was equally disorganized in her clothing and shoes. She calmly attempted to wash the filth off of herself, but she knew in her heart that it was pointless. 

Bastian approached her as she got to her feet and retrieved her filthy clothes. The terrified pup cried and hid behind Odette.

“You seem to have a predilection for misery, don’t you?” A crooked smile crept onto Bastian’s lips as his eyes scanned Odette from head to toe, and back again. “I highly doubt anyone would have a liking for frolicking in the dirt amidst a midnight rain. So, what exactly are you up to?”

“… I’m sorry if I’ve worried you.” Odette tried to keep a neutral expression on her face as she faced him. Bastian was dressed in a nighttime-appropriate dark blue raincoat.

He appeared wet from the rain, but not at all unclean. Odette averted her eyes and tucked her grimy hands under the hem of her skirt.

“The stray dog I used to occasionally feed has passed away.” With a heavy heart, Odette conveyed the news. As she made her way towards the forest, where she had previously chased after the puppy, she stumbled upon the mother dog, lying lifeless on the frigid ground.

Its body had become rigid, as though its breath had already departed. All she could do was tenderly shut the dog’s eyes, which gazed up at the vast expanse of the sky. As she took a closer look, she realized that the dog’s physique was much smaller and emaciated than she had imagined. This realization only amplified the sorrow that had already taken hold of Odette’s heart.

“So?” Bastian blandly asked as he cast a glance over the spot where the mother dog was interred.

Odette took a peaceful, deep breath, which soothed her worn-out heart. “I was afraid that if I left it alone, other animals would prey on it, so I picked it up and gave it a proper burial.” 

“You did it alone?”

“Yes, I did it alone. I didn’t want to trouble you by having to ask for assistance with something like this,” Odette replied.

“Does it not bother you that your hostess is out late and not returning home?” Bastian asked.

“In hindsight, I believe I acted impulsively. Going forward, I will take care not to repeat the same mistake.” Odette expressed regret and apologized without making any excuses. However, her overly polite demeanor came across as a lack of respect.

Bastian was taken aback and erupted into peals of laughter. He appeared to comprehend the source of the woman’s fury. Although she had the temperament of a fierce wolf, it was still preferable to behaving like a petulant child.

Bastian’s confusion grew as he surveyed the scene. “How in the world did you manage to dig a pit for a dog all by yourself?”

Despite Odette’s attempt at a feigned smile, the answer was evident from her appearance. Her attire and the scattered fragments of broken branches suggested that she may have undergone training as a ranger.

The sound of the raindrops cascading upon the verdant foliage filled the once-quiet atmosphere, imbuing it with a sense of serenity.

Bastian’s unwavering stare made Odette uneasy, causing her to eventually avert her gaze. As her eyes fixed upon the modest grave that she had crafted single-handedly, her vision became hazy once more.

Odette left the little cub hovering by her side and the deceased mother behind because she couldn’t bear to turn around. She was aware of the dog mother’s precarious health from the outset, but she felt as though everything was her responsibility.

If only she had gotten here sooner.  If only she had been able to offer better support than the mediocre meal that was distributed. She wasted her time trying if she wasn’t capable of doing that. The sound of rain could be heard amid the unfounded speculation. The puppy was hunched over its mother’s body, staring up at her. Odette could not look away from the total trust she had in those eyes.

It was difficult to recall anything that took place beyond that point.

She carried the lifeless dog into the gloomy woodland with her while wrapped in her shawl. Somewhere warm and sunny. She was looking for a spot where she would not feel lonely, and she ended up coming to this location without even realizing it.

Even though the raindrops were pretty substantial, Odette did not show any fear. She started by locating a piece of ground that had gentle soil, and then she gathered a number of large tree branches that appeared to be rather sturdy.

She could not feed the dead dog to the wild animals and there was no other way for her to ask for assistance, so she was forced to find a method to handle the situation on her own.  It was a familiar feeling of hopelessness at the same time.

She was able to gain control of her feelings, and when she finally raised her head, she noticed that Bastian was still standing there. When they looked at one other, he let out a drawn-out sigh.

That was all it took for Odette to have an abrupt realization that she did not appear appealing at all. It would be lovely if she could straighten up her hair, but it would be even more ludicrous if she hurriedly touched it with her dirty hands before she could finish.

As Odette frantically searched the area, she hurried up to the trunk of the tree and grabbed her handbag from the base of the branch.  When Bastian approached her, she was in a frustrated state since her frozen hand was preventing her from moving in the way that she desired.  After being startled, the contents of the bag fell out and spread themselves around the dirt floor.

Odette tried her best to stifle the anger she felt about the most unfortunate turn of events as she scooped up the bag that had fallen. She secretly wished that Bastian would look the other way, but he ended up assisting her nonetheless.

Handkerchief. Watch that fits in her pocket.  Mirror.

The instant that she was relieved to see that the things were, for the most part, acceptable, a piece of chocolate that was wrapped in colorful wrapping paper drew her attention.

Exactly at the point when she was furious with her younger self for keeping such things, Bastian reached over and grabbed the pocket knife that was sitting next to it.  As he opened up the folded blade, he saw that the corners of his eyes were gradually becoming more constricted.

“I beg you, tell me that you’re not going to use this for self-defense.” Bastian inquired as if it were completely ridiculous.  It was a dull knife that had seen better days, and it didn’t even stand up straight. Odette did not utter a single word, but instead she accepted it from him.

After she had finished packing all of her possessions, she stood up as if nothing had happened and unwrapped the handkerchief she was carrying.  During the time that she was carefully cleaning her hands, the puppy that had been lurking behind her emerged from its hiding place.

When Bastian stared down at the tangled ball of fur that was the puppy, a crease appeared in his forehead, “Have you been trying to find someone who could take Count Xanders’s place?” 

“At first, I believed it to be a male; however, upon further inspection, I discovered that it was a female.” Odette erectly stood in front of him while carrying a handkerchief that was folded and a bag that was draped over her wrist. It appeared as though she was making an attempt to give the impression that she was unaffected, yet all that effort only served to highlight her sorrowful expression.

Her skin was as white as a sheet of paper, and the apples of her cheeks and lips were an alarming shade of scarlet.  When one looked at her in greater detail, one could also see that her tiny shoulders were quivering slightly. The large and little scars that were seen on her hands were most likely medals that were left as a result of her tenacity and the fact that she dug the ground with twigs.

The persistent fall precipitation that followed didn’t seem like it was going to let up.

Bastian heaved a sigh before taking off his raincoat and wrapping it around Odette, who was shivering.  “Do not be so rigid as to be pointless.” 

While Odette was running away in shock, Bastian caught her by the arm and buttoned her raincoat with great care. “Let’s turn around and go back.”  After buckling her waist strap more securely, Bastian extended her hand to the audience.

Odette was overcome with a sense of helplessness as she gazed at the hand that was extended towards her.  In the meantime, Bastian’s residual body heat in the raincoat seeped into every part of her icy body, warming her from the inside out.  It was a feeling that brought back memories of a period in her life that had been fraught with gloom and misery.

Odette felt relieved rather than angry when she turned around and heard a voice calling her name from behind. She was despite the fact that she knew the ugly man was the one who had harmed her.

She welcomed his arrival but, despite her joy, she couldn’t stand the sight of him in any form.

Odette retreated as soon as the recollection of that time, which had been aroused by Bastian’s warmth, came to mind. Even up until this point, life had been challenging.  She did not want to compound the problem by adding the additional burden of hating him.

“Bastian, I beg you, please allow this youngster to accompany me. Odette reached down and snatched the puppy that was hanging about her feet. “She was bereaved of her mother. Due to the fact that it is still so young and delicate, it cannot live on its own.

“So?” Bastian showed his disapproval by raising his hand and sweeping his wet hair away from his face. “If you want to take care of an animal, a real dog is the best option for you.”

“I don’t want any more dogs.  I’ll see to it that it doesn’t become a problem for you. As long as I am here, I will quietly raise it and take it with me when I depart. Please extend your mercy for only that long.” 

Odette cradled the dirty dog gently in her arms as she stared up at him helplessly. She appeared to have an unusually strong emotional connection to the hapless creature.  

“Please, Bastian.”

Odette pleaded again as the filthy sensation of being treated like a stray dog returned.

As Bastian peered into the red eyes that were full with obstinate determination, his laughter turned to white breath and dispersed.

His answer was the only one he had.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“I’ve heard that they picked up a dog?”

The servants greeted one another with inquiries as they started their day.  When daybreak finally arrived, rumors had already spread throughout the entire mansion.

The master, who had gone out to hunt for his wife who had gone missing, returned with a dog for whatever reason.

The servant who was present at the time reported that the master treated the lady and the puppy that she picked up as precious treasures.

It took less than a day for this to put an end to the rumors that the two had been involved in a heated argument with one another.

“But isn’t it true that the master despises dogs?”  

A head was nodded by one of the maids as she made her way towards the kitchen. “He wouldn’t even want a regular hound. I was told that when he was a child, he was severely injured after he was attacked by a dog.  Therefore, the previous owner hadn’t had a dog ever since he welcomed his grandson into the family home.”

“Ah.  Did he?  I was unaware of it.” 

“ I’m curious as to whether or not he loves his wife enough to put up with a dog that he despises.  They might need to hire a babysitter sooner or later, but I can’t say for sure.”

As soon as the maids rounded the corner leading to the kitchen, the lively conversation that they had been having ceased.  Overall, it was due of the interaction with the rigid butler that brought it about.

“Shh.” Lovis, who was looking directly at them, flashed a threatening gesture by bringing his index finger up to his mouth to make a point. The maids who were observing clapped their hands together, shook their heads in unison, and then dispersed to their various posts.

As Lovis, who had only just finished her ordeal, entered the common area, the call bell began to ring.  3rd Floor.  It was the bedroom that belonged to the hostess.

“It can only be the master if they call at this hour. I’ll go.” As Lovis quickly exited the room, he mumbled something to the head maid before leaving. When he found out that Bastian had brought a dog, it was a stray dog that had been found in the forest. Almost immediately, his heart stopped beating.

Was it possible that a stray dog that lived in that wooded area was also to blame for the accident that caused Carl Illis to remove his grandson from the custody of his son-in-law?

Of course, the hound that was reported to have attacked the child at that time was said to be as huge as a wolf, so there would be a big difference between the little pet dog that Odette had picked up and the hound that was said to have attacked the child at that time, but a dog was still a dog.

Lovis had arrived in front of the bedroom on the third floor by the time it was determined that it would be most beneficial to speak to the madam.  As he knocked on the door, he was not surprised to hear Bastian’s voice.

Lovis let out a sigh before opening the closed door.

In the bedroom, where there was only the light of one bedside lamp on, the bluish light of morning still lingered.  Bastian was snoozing away on the bed while he observed his dozing wife below him.

“Have you called, Master?” Lovis inquired. 

When he questioned Bastian quietly, he slowly moved his head to look at him.

“I believe it would be a good idea to get in touch with Dr. Kramer.” Bastian got up softly from his bed and then unexpectedly issued a command.  After being surprised, Lovis approached his master.

“Master, are you alright?”

“No. Not me. Odette.” The focus of Bastian’s attention shifted back to the bed. “She’s got quite a temperature. Unfortunately, she is ill. Please inform the attending physician that the patient is unable to go to the hospital at this time; as a result, you would like to request that he make a house call.”

“Yes, master. As soon as Dr. Kramer gets to the office, I will get in touch with him.” Lovis followed the order.

“And what happened then, I don’t want my wife to find out.”

“So, if that’s what you mean…” Lovis began speaking but got interrupted immediately. 

“What you are thinking at this very moment is most likely accurate.”  Bastian laughed off the situation as though it were unimportant.  Lovis was speechless because he appeared to be in a state of shock, as if he had just realized that someone had read his genuine intents.

“But master, you have a dog….”

“I don’t despise it very much.”  Before Lovis had even finished his protest, Bastian had already responded with composure to the question.  “… I just don’t like it.”  At the conclusion of a word that had been extravagantly appended, Bastian turned around.

“Understood, master. I shall comply,” replied Lovis with a bow. Observing the stubborn figure retreating, Lovis stepped back as well. “I shall ensure that the servants remain silent,” she added.

The morning brought with it a sense of foreboding, as the inconsiderate gossip of the maids appeared to be on the verge of materializing.