CH 17

“Those who need to be killed…”

“Now let me know.”

Just as he was about to mutter something, Lobelia suddenly hugged him tightly around the waist.

“W-what are you—!” Surprised, he raised his voice without realizing it.

Unlike Frinel, who was taken by surprise as if he was completely in a panic, I responded calmly. “You said you’d let me know. How to dance.”

“That’s. You can say it in words.”

“I didn’t expect you to be surprised with just one hug.”

“…You don’t know any better, do you? But, let me tell you, I may look naive.”

“Pfft, naive?”

My eyes turned to the button I had buttoned. The shirt he wore underneath was thin and slightly see-through, despite the frilly collar. Moreover, he wasn’t wearing a coat over it. Naive, he said? He really had no conscience.

“You have no conscience.”

“That’s enough. I think you’re too casual sometimes.”

“Sometimes what? How long has it been since we met?”

“Come on, hold my hand.”

Frinel held out his hand to me with a slightly red face. I looked at his hand awkwardly before replying with a smile. “No matter how much I don’t know about society, I don’t think someone would ask me to dance with this attitude.”

He blinked slowly as if he had been hit in the back of his head, and soon a bright smile appeared on his face. Then he bowed on one knee and bowed politely. “Will you give me the honor to dance? Princess Gracie.”

“Good.”

I gently put my hand on top of Frinel’s.

There was no music, but Frinel gently guided me through steps, matching the beat one by one with his mouth. I only learned the theory. It was my first time dancing, but strangely it wasn’t difficult. Is it because the teacher is good?

My eyes stared at him. His eyelashes, which seemed longer than mine, were shining brightly. The gold color, which seemed soaked in sunlight, was so beautiful that I stared at him without realizing it.

At that moment, Frinel’s eyes met me. I then let out a cough and lowered my gaze.

“Even if I’m so handsome, I’m shy if you stare at me like that.”

“…I didn’t stare at you.”

“Yes, if Lady Lobelia hadn’t stared, I wouldn’t have seen it.”

He raised the corners of his mouth teasingly.

“I-I’m telling you the truth.” I stammered without realizing it because his statement really hit the nail. Then I let go of his hand in embarrassment.

Then, you shouldn’t look that handsome. His astounding handsomeness always caught my eye despite my liking for him. I just appreciated it as if I was looking at a work of art.

“I think that’s enough practice.”

“Already? It doesn’t seem like enough to me.”

“I can learn more when the teacher comes.”

“Lady Lobelia.”

“…I have some places to go before class.”

“Where are you going?”

“You don’t need to know.”

I gave a short answer and slightly bowed my head to Frinel. Then, with quick steps, I headed toward the center of the mansion. There, a carriage prepared in advance was waiting for me.

I glanced back at Frinel. He was approaching with strides as if he were about to follow me. I climbed onto the carriage immediately.

“Y-you’re here.”

“Yes. Let’s go, Sera.’

Sere was already on board after getting ready to go out. The carriage, loaded with people that were supposed to be there, started quickly.

Frinel, who had been following for a long time, stared blankly at the departing carriage. “Oh my.”

However, his expression, which seemed futile, soon brightened slowly. “If you keep doing this, it makes me want to follow you.”

What secret is she hiding? Frinel smiled mischievously and quickly headed for the stable.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“But why are you suddenly going to the western countryside?” Sera, who had been silent for a long time, asked curiously.

At her question, I, who was looking out the window, slowly opened my mouth. “Ah… There’s something I haven’t done yet.”

“In the countryside?”

“…Yes. Did you bring all the things I asked for?”

“Yes. White cloth, a shovel… but what on earth you need this for…” Sera tilted her head as if her question was still unanswered.

I just smiled lightly but didn’t respond further. Then I slowly turned my head back out of the window.

Five years ago, I saw the neighborhood where I lived with Endimion and Merilly. It was the market where Selli and I occasionally met.

Is Selli still working there?

I didn’t even pay attention to Selli because I thought about Merilly back then. Thinking I should find out more about her, I slowly shifted my gaze. Landscapes of my past quickly passed by the window. And soon, the carriage arrived at the forest entrance where my cabin was.

“I don’t think the carriage can go from here.”

“I know. I’ll go alone.”

“Yes? The forest is too dangerous. There may be monsters…”

“This is where I used to live?”

“What? Really?”

“Yes.”

Sera knew roughly the fake past created by Marquis. So would have thought well on her own.

I grabbed the hem of my skirt and got out of the carriage.

“Still…”

“It will be just for a moment. Please wait here.”

“I understand, Lady.”

I gave a slight smile as I went into the forest. Although it’s a relatively gentle slope, the forest hills can be climbed easily even when you wear a dress.

How much time had passed? Finally, the cabin where I lived was revealed in front of my eyes. As if no one had come and gone for five years, the cabin, which had become shabbier than before, was full of spider webs hanging here and there.

Sensing strange feelings, I slowly went inside. There were bloodstains everywhere that hadn’t been erased even after five years. But what was supposed to be there was gone.

…Delphina.

Delphina, who died unjustly and vainly because of me. To bury her body, I returned to this place I didn’t even want to return to.

Before I knew it, I quickly scanned the surroundings with tears in my eyes. Maybe someone took pity on the dead here and buried the body.

I turned my body to go outside again. Then something caught on my foot.

This…

It was a small, worn-out rabbit doll. It was a doll that I made myself for Merilly.

I carefully picked up the doll. It was dirty with a lot of dust, but it didn’t feel dirty at all to me.

“Mamma!”

It was as if I could hear Merilly’s voice.

I scanned the cabin slowly. In this place full of traces of time, I was alone, standing there the same as I did 5 years ago. But here I was, apparently the foreign thing in this place. I’ve changed so much that I couldn’t compare myself to before.

I took the rabbit doll and went outside. The little garden, which I had carefully tended, was ruined. And next to it,

“…Delphina.”

The tomb that someone had made rose convexly. With a cross of two twigs intertwined, the tomb looked lonely without anyone visiting.

“I’m sorry for coming now.”

My knees bent weekly in front of the tomb where Delphina’s last traces remained.

“I’m very, very sorry… for making you die…”

I covered my face and sobbed. I wanted to cry out loud but didn’t deserve to cry like that. Sobsob, only the sound of forced suppression of crying rang quietly around the cabin. And,

“…What the.”

Frinel looked sadly at the crying Lobelia, holding back his voice behind the tree.

“Why is she crying like that?”

He just followed her lightheartedly, but her face, which he thought was just calm and blunt, broke miserably. She looked sad enough to make even the onlookers shed tears.

What is the story that keeps her crying without even making a sound? The more he looked at her, the more he remembered his former self. He closed his eyes painfully.

The little curiosity which had bloomed in Frinel’s heart soon turned into worry mingled with self-pity. Should I go and comfort her? His hand wandered in the air, unable to find its way. And finally, his agonizing hand was soon withdrawn.

The two hadn’t even had a relationship yet. His consolation wouldn’t be any help to her now.

“…Don’t cry, Lady Lobelia. If you cry so sadly, I will be sad too.” Frinel just stayed from afar until she woke up from crying, hoping inwardly that Lobelia’s crying would stop soon.