CH 59

Knock, knock. 

I clasped Arsene’s hand and knocked on Kendrick’s study door.

“Come in.”

Kendrick’s voice was heard from inside.

I carefully opened the study door with Arsene.

“Kendrick-nim… Can I go in?”

“Yeah. Come in.”

Every time I walked, the skirt of the dress I wore as my pajamas fluttered. 

I held Arsene’s hand tightly and strode and sat on the sofa.

“I have something to tell you!”

“It looks like that. Tell me.”

I tapped Arsene’s hand carefully with my finger.

“Kendrick-nim, you know…Arsene’s ability has manifested.”

“That’s right.”

“But it seems that his ability… has developed an ego.”

When I was done, Arsene opened his little palm.

Whoosh—.

A black light burst out for a moment, and soon it clumped together to form a sphere.

Arsene flicked his finger.

Then the sphere moved slowly in the air, turning into a small wolf and howling.

I think it’s a little bigger than the last time I saw it.

“Arsene said he didn’t control it. Can Yeckhart’s abilities be used in this way?”

“I was talking about it with Hern.”

Kendrick flicked his finger and drew a circle.

Then the surrounding shadows flocked to Kendrick.

And. 

“Whoa—”

It turned into a huge wolf and stood tall.

“It is possible to make such a thing with this ability. Anything else is possible.”

Every time Kendrick flicked his finger, the shadows dispersed into the air and changed into different shapes.

It became a giant black snake, a human, and a giant eagle.

“But this is what I do by putting my own abilities to use.”

Kendrick flicked, beckoning again.

Then, the shadow collapsed and went back to its place.

“If you don’t use your ability, it will collapse quickly. But—”

A shadow wolf, made by Arsene’s power, circled around Kendrick’s feet.

“I’ve never heard of a precedent that moves on its own like this, so we’re investigating it separately. And.”

Kendrick flicked his finger to recreate the giant shadow wolf just now.

Then Arsene’s little shadow wolf approached Kendrick’s wolf and rubbed its head.

“It doesn’t seem dangerous, so we decided to keep an eye on it for now. But Arsene, if there’s a situation where your abilities are really out of control, you have to tell me right away.”

“Ung, I will.”

Arsene replied with a nod.

Kendrick snapped his fingers and distracted the shadow wolf again.

Then Arsene’s shadow wolf spun around in place as if surprised and soon drooped its ears and tail.

“I’m glad it’s not dangerous…and it’s cute.”

As soon as I was done, the drooping shadow wolf approached and wagged its tail gently.

“Right? Isn’t it cute?”

“Ung, and he listens well. I’m not controlling it, but… I think it’s listening.”

Arsene flicked his finger.

“Sit down.”

Then the shadow wolf sat in place and wagged its tail gently.

“You’re right, the wolf listens well. It’s really cute.”

“I know…it’s fascinating. But when I try to use my ability, it keeps coming out.”

Arsene grumbled.

“I also tried to use this ability, but only ashes come out every time.”

“You can take your time. It hasn’t been long since it came out.”

“Yes, Arsene. There is no need to be impatient. Don’t worry too much.”

“Okay.”

Arsene nodded slowly.

“If you don’t have anything more to say, go to sleep. It’s late, I’ll take you there.”

Kendrick gave me a big hug.

And he left the study with Arsene in his other hand.

*****

The next day,

I go to the stable with Kendrick and Arsene.

Originally, I was going to stop by the stable right after dinner the previous day, but—.

The meeting with Hector was delayed a little according to Kendrick’s opinion that it would be better to go the next day because it was getting dark.

“Oh, my Lord!”

“Gilbert, it’s been a while.”

Kendrick greeted the stable keeper Gilbert plainly.

Gilbert bowed and greeted politely. Then he moved to the stable where Hector was staying.

“I haven’t sent him out on the grass yet, but if he keeps being so docile, I can release him with another horse.”

Haha, Gilbert, who burst into laughter, opened the stable’s door.

“How are you, Hector?”

I reached out to Hector.

Hector gently wagged its tail and pushed me with its huge nose.

I hugged Hector’s head with my whole body, then gently kissed the back of its nose. 

Kendrick, who looked at it quietly, said something strange. 

“It has become really obedient. Even when Aiden rode it, it was ferocious.”

“Yes, how obedient it is to the Lady… it’s like an angel separately in front of Lady.” 

Arsene, who watched me stroking Hector, reached out.

Hector allowed Arsene to stroke the back of his nose.

“Oh, it tickles, Hector.”

I giggled at Hector pushing his nose, then popped out two sugar cubes.

Hector stuck out his tongue and licked the sugar powder off my palm.

“That’s… It doesn’t matter. I’ll get you a horseback riding teacher soon, Linsy.”

“Horseback riding?”

“Yeah, you have to ride Hector. It seems like he wants to run with you too.”

At Kendrick’s words, Hector responds, ‘Neigh—!’.

I hid my excitement and gently stroked the back of Hector’s nose.

And whispered softly.

“If you get sick from now on, I will treat you every time.”

“Neiigh!”

“Of course you shouldn’t be sick, but—it means that if something like that happens, I will treat you.”

Hector blinked his gentle eyes.

Kendrick, who was looking at the figure, put his chin and hand on Hector’s nose.

Hector gave Kendrick the top of his nose without a hint of disgust.

“If you tame it well, it will be a good horse, Linsy. Even when Sir Aiden rode it, I thought it was a great horse.”

“Hector is also a good horse now.” 

“I’m talking about being able to run fast. The lower body is stronger than other horses, so it will be able to run faster. Let’s get it out of the way, Gilbert.”

At Kendrick’s orders, Gilbert pulled Hector out of the stable.

Hector followed Gilbert’s hand.

And on the huge ranch connected to the stable, Hector was released.

And.

“Go play, you punk.”

Gilbert patted Hector lightly on the buttocks.

But instead of running right away, Hector flinched as he glanced at me.

“Hey, it looks like you want to run with the Lady. But you can’t.” 

“Ung, Hector. I’ll learn to ride a horse. Until then, just be patient.”

Hector seemed to understand me quite well.

He bowed his head a few times as if nodding his head and then quickly walked out into the ranch.

Kendrick said, looking at him.

“Sir Aiden gave a nice present.”

“Yees, I’m so thankful that I don’t know how to repay it—” 

“You’ve treated him, and Sir Aiden has repaid you, Linsy.”

Kendrick nodded lightly.

“Let’s go, let Hector play a little longer.”

“Yees.” 

After answering obediently, I followed Kendrick back to the mansion.

In the mansion, Betty and Chloe were waiting for Arsene with me.

“Lady, did you have a good conversation with the Lord?”

“Ung, he gave me permission to raise Hector.”

I laughed, hehe, fiddling with the ends of the dress.

“Hector is so gentle. Betty, let’s go see it together next time.” 

“Yeah, good. My little girl, you must eat well and grow up fast enough to ride on Hector’s back.” 

Betty said in a friendly voice.

“Ung, I want to play with Hector soon.”

I grabbed Betty’s hand and came up to my room and lay flat on the bed.

Then 

‘By the way, that flower.’

Not long ago, when Glene left, a flower that was lying on the bed caught my eye.

Strangely, the flowers didn’t wither.

It’s been a long time since Glene left, and all the flowers in the garden have withered, so this flower should wither, too.

‘I put it in a vase so that it doesn’t wither too quickly—’

The flowers were kept fresh on the side table as if they had been picked just yesterday.

I tapped the petals with my fingertips.

The petals shook slightly, but the water didn’t fall off.

‘I didn’t know you were still alive…’

As I gazed at the flowers Glenna had given me, I wondered why she left.

I really wondered why she left.

Because you told me about prohibition?

‘Only Glene knows why.’

Arsene slammed my room door open at that very moment.

“Linsy—!” 

“Ung?” 

“Let’s go, let’s go out and play. I’m too bored to stay at home.”

“Ung, okay. Let’s go out.” 

I immediately removed my hand from the flower, turned and ran back to Arsene.

So I didn’t see it.

When the petals fall one by one.