CH 63

I reported to Kendrick in detail what had happened today.

From the fact that a mysterious person wearing a black hood was staring at me to the fact that person had a black air current similar to that of Ester. 

And the air current covered the bakery’s window, which Ethan and Arsene didn’t even notice. 

Kendrick sighed as he heard my words.

“Anyway, after hearing about the prohibition from you, I’ve been looking into it, but there’s no progress. Glene? That child is gone…and Ester is also missing….”

“Ester is disappeared?” 

I rolled my eyes.

It was the first time I heard it.

‘Ester disappeared…’

From the last time I saw him in the mansion, his condition had been strange, so did he disappear? Or maybe—.

‘The air current—it didn’t eat him, right?’

The last time I saw Ester, rather than controlling the air current, it felt like the air current was parasitic on Ester’s body.

Kendrick answered, brushing his well-groomed hair slowly. 

“Yeah, Ester is gone. So I’m guessing that your prohibition was lifted because he died. Of course, Ester’s body was never found….” 

Without sipping the hot chocolate, I put my glass down and swallowed my saliva. 

“Anyway, let’s find out about the man in the black hood you saw. We should also increase your escort.” 

“Yees.” 

I nodded. Kendrick placed his chin on my head. 

“If you don’t want to go to a festival, you don’t have to go. Just tell me comfortably. Above all else, your safety comes first.” 

I pondered for a while.

‘I think it’s best not to go outside, but….’

I was a little tired from the series of situations that happened now. 

Of course, there was also the possibility that the black stream I saw was a shadow or an illusion.

‘But I’ve seen it twice.’

Moreover, when I saw the first air current, Arsene had a seizure.

It was as if he had reacted to the air current.

So I believed the black air currents I had seen couldn’t be illusions.

In such a situation—.

‘Festival—’

Kendrick, not long ago, officially announced Arsene as his successor and held a banquet to announce me as a member of Yeckhart and Arsene’s fiancée.

And in the annual festival, it was common to attend not only the head of the family but also the head of the family’s successor and spouse if they had one.

So—.

‘If I don’t go, the image will be funny.’

Some wolves who hate me will laugh at me—.

I didn’t like that. Besides—.

‘I want to go to the festival….’

I’ve never been outside in my previous life, and it’s extremely rare this time around.

So, I really wanted to go to the festival. If I get kicked out of Yeckhart, I wouldn’t be able to go next year.

I looked up at Kendrick.

“Will you protect me…? At the festival….” 

As I wriggled my fingers and asked, Kendrick smiled and gently stroked my hair.

“Of course, and there will always be Yeckhart’s escorts by your side. Don’t worry and shout out loud if anything happens.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Would it be better to buy a flute? Blow it when it’s dangerous. That wouldn’t be bad either.”

I nodded vigorously as I listened to Kendrick’s words.

* * *

The day of the festival came fast.

We left the mansion the previous afternoon and stayed overnight in a mansion near the sanctuary.

“I’m going with Betty, right?”

“Of course, Sir Ethan is coming with you too. It was decided that familiar servants would go with the Lady.”

Betty replied with a bright smile.

“And look at this, Lady.”

She took out a small pair of shoes from her little box.

They were pretty shoes with flower decorations and large pearls in the middle.

“Ung?”

“It was a gift from the Lord. Isn’t it pretty?”

Betty smiled brightly.

I stared at the shoes, and then I nodded with a box of shoes in my arms.

“Yes! It’s so pretty!” 

“It would go really well with a newly tailored festival dress.”

I nodded.

Serina also finished the dress in one week this time.

I haven’t seen Arsene’s robes yet, but—.

My dress was in the form of layers of light blue fabric that went well with the blue ribbon, the symbol of Arsene.

“Then you should change your clothes now. It’s time to leave in a little bit.”

“Then you should change your clothes now. It’s time to leave soon.”

Betty said in a hurry. I nodded obediently.

She easily took off my pajamas and put on a dress for going out.

It was a light pink dress.

“You’re going to the mansion for now, so I’ll tie your hair comfortably.”

“Ung, thank you.”

Betty pulled my hair high and tied it up to let it hang down. And she used a pink ribbon to tie my hair back.

She looked at me with satisfaction and smiled softly.

“Okay, that’s it, I’m sure Lady will be the prettiest and cutest at the festival.”

Betty said firmly. I replied with a blush on my face for no reason.

“No…There must be many more beautiful girls than me.”

My half-brother Gale always looked at my face and criticized me for being ugly.

The only people who told me that I was pretty were Yeckhart’s servants.

Betty opened her eyes, asking who was saying such nonsense.

I had to sweat a lot to calm Betty down.

“That’s right, I’m the cutest….” 

“Of course, of course. The guy who says Lady’s not cute when he sees my Lady needs to dig out his eyeballs— Oops, I’m sorry.” 

“Ung, Betty…” 

I quietly listened to Betty’s violent remarks and then asked.

“How much time do we have before we leave?” 

“About an hour left. Do you have any places to stop by?”

“I want to say hello to Hector.”

The festival period was a week.

It is said that the beast gathers in the sanctuary for a week and enjoys the festival.

We, too, were planning to stay for a week in a mansion near the sanctuary. That’s why. 

“I won’t be able to see Hector in the meantime.”

I said, blinking my eyes. 

Gilbert refused, but I always wanted to give Hector fodder in and out of the stables. 

It was my daily routine to hold straws that would be full of food and fill Hector’s food bin.

Hector would also blink as if he felt good when I went.

“So, let’s say hello.”

“Yes, be careful not to get your clothes dirty, Lady. You know, right?” 

Betty grabbed me and spoke firmly.

I answered with a sneaking glance.

“I’m not sure….” 

“…Lady?” 

“Ung, I’ll try, Betty.”

I hurried out of the room before Betty stopped me from going to Hector.

And headed to the stable where Hector was.

There were no horses in the stable. So maybe it was time to let him out.

I went through an empty stable and headed for the stable next to it.

And.

“Hector—!”

As I called him loudly, Hector ran out of nowhere and gave me his huge nose. 

I put the fence in between and hugged the big Hector’s head.

“Whoa, Hector! It tickles~.”

I kept stopping by the stable with Arsene these past few days, and Hector would stick out his head and wait for me whenever I came.

I patted Hector’s head.

“You know, I won’t be here for a week. So take care of the house. Ung? And listen to Gilbert—” 

“Hiiing—!” 

Hector kicked the ground with his back foot as if he understood what I meant.

“You can’t complain. We’re going to a festival. I’ll buy you a present when I come instead. If I could get it—” 

I kissed Hector on the bridge of his nose and stopped him before the dress got dirty. 

I hugged Hector. Fortunately, the dress wasn’t too dirty.

Shaking it off, I stepped back to get back to Betty.

It was then. 

“Akim? Why are you coming out there?”

I ran into Akim from the basement.

“…Haha, it’s the Lady. I went to the basement to get some food. Where have you been, Lady?”

Akim greeted me with a calm smile. I nodded my head slowly.

“Ung, I see. I went to Hector. I won’t see him for a week now—you know, will Akim coming with me too?” 

“Me? Of course. If not me, who is going! I’ll make you a lot of delicious desserts when I go.”

Akim smiled and pretended to spread his arms wide. However, something seemed a little unnatural.

I tilted my head slightly, then smiled. 

“Ung. I will be waiting.” 

Betty looked at my dress with a sharp gaze as soon as I returned.

And when she made sure there was nothing wrong with the dress, she took me to Kendrick.

“Lord, the Lady has come.”

As Kendrick tidied up his clothes, he turned his gaze to me and looked at me.

“Linsy, you are beautiful.”

“Thank you, Kendrick-nim. The shoes you gave me are so pretty.”

“I was going to give it earlier, but it was late. I’m glad you like it. Come on, let’s go.”

After Kendrick finished tidying up, he grabbed my hand.

Arsene also came and waited outside the door.

Arsene pulled his tie uncomfortably, then lowered his hand when he saw Kendrick.

“Even if it’s uncomfortable, please bear with it.”

Kendrick loosened Arsene’s tie a little. Then we held hands and headed to the carriage.

Yeckhart’s servants stood in two lines at the mansion’s entrance to see us off.