Episode 12. Can't we stay together for a little while?
Was there a wild animal stuck in the crack in the fence? Shr really hopes so.
Hopefully not a human. She didn’t know what kind of harm someone who didn’t care about the sound of a bell would do. She knew deep down that the scariest thing in the world was a human.
Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle...!
The bell kept ringing all this time. If Tanya had been here at that time, it would have been a little less scary. Couldn’t Mia’s house hear it? What should she do? Should she go out and check? It didn’t seem to be a wild animal. The sound of the bell wasn’t coming from just one place. It seemed like there were several people gathered around the house. It was clear that they were deliberately trying to intimidate her by shaking the fence wildly.
'Who the hell is it?'
That was the moment. The bell sounded like it had stopped, and then... Clang!
“Whoa!”
Adele screamed at the sound of breaking glass. Soon, the sound of heavy footsteps came closer. It seemed as if the people who had been shaking the fence were running into the garden.
'Who the hell is it?'
That was the moment. The bell sounded like it had stopped, and then... Clang!
“Whoa!”
Adele screamed at the sound of breaking glass. Soon, the sound of heavy footsteps came closer. It seemed as if the people who had been shaking the fence were running into the garden.
CLANG!
Adele quickly locked the shed door inward and crouched on the steps. She also turned off the lights so that no light would leak out.
'Please! Let nothing happen!'
In the darkness, where she couldn't see even an inch ahead, Adele curled up with her ears covered. The musty smell that stung her nose made her feel nauseous. And then a memory she didn't want to remember came to mind.
“The Marquis of Oswald is a man who has practiced saving money, so please follow his instructions.”
'Please! Let nothing happen!'
In the darkness, where she couldn't see even an inch ahead, Adele curled up with her ears covered. The musty smell that stung her nose made her feel nauseous. And then a memory she didn't want to remember came to mind.
“The Marquis of Oswald is a man who has practiced saving money, so please follow his instructions.”
From the first day she entered the Marquis's house, the head maid spoke as if she were trying to establish discipline. It was her attitude toward the new maid, not the Marchioness.
“Madam, you can use this basement from now on. Since it’s underground, there’s no draft, so you don’t need to heat it separately. If you’re cold, dress warmly and sleep. I’ll give you one candle a week, so use it sparingly. For meals, you can eat what the Marquis leaves.”
During the two years she lived at Oswald's house, Adele was only a Marchioness in name. The maids openly ignored and abused her, calling her a "cellar lady." The only time Adele received the Marchioness's treatment was when guests came or she attended a banquet. That's what they needed, the Marchioness.
A powerless puppet Marchioness with no one to complain to.
***
“...Are you listening, Captain?”
Zimmer spoke to him from the side, but Christine didn't answer. He just stared out the carriage window with his arms crossed. It was pitch dark outside, so he couldn't possibly appreciate the scenery outside, and judging from his expression, he was quite depressed.
'Did you have an argument with the Marchioness?'
Then Zimmer was surprised. How could Christine be so depressed because of someone, especially a woman... Wasn’t he someone who didn’t even care about the Princess? Seeing that, Adele was definitely special to him. More so than his older sister.
“How close are we if we can kiss on the cheek?”
A question out of the blue. Zimmer, who had been tilting his head, smiled brightly.
“Did you kiss the Marchioness on the cheek? Then this is a definite heart signal...!”
But he quickly changed his words at Christine's chilling attitude.
“What... does it really matter who kissed whose cheek? In any case, the heart signal is clear. If skin has touched a man and a woman, then that’s already said... oh well...”
Christine looked so murderous that he thought he could kill Zimmer with just a glance.
“Should I get rid of it?”
"Yes?"
Zimmer flinched, startled by Christine's murderous intent. But his eyes were not on Zimmer. Then who? Christine shook his head as if to shake off the thought.
“All right. What about the report on Viscount Eaton?”
After Mrs. Hans' party, he had an investigation into the Viscount of Eaton.
“I just got a report anyway.”
Zimmer quickly looked through the data and added:
“I heard he’s been frequenting the Hell Valley bar a lot lately. He must be plotting something with the back alley thugs...”
For a moment, Christine put his finger to his lips as if telling him to be quiet. When Zimmer stopped talking, he closed his eyes and tensely focused on his nerves. Then, the air in the carriage seemed to swirl around him. After a while, his blue-gray eyes flashed, and he muttered softly.
“It looks like he's already planned something.”
***
Boom, boom!
The door to the basement storage room rattled with a loud noise.
“Madam! Stop hiding like a rat and come out!”
Adele was startled by the voice outside the door.
“Madam! Stop hiding like a rat and come out!”
Adele was startled by the voice outside the door.
Viscount Eaton! It was a drunken voice, but it was definitely him.
“If you don’t open the door within three counts, these nasty guys will break down the door and come in. You never know what they’ll do! Hahahaha!”
Soon, the laughter of the men continued. There seemed to be at least three or four of them.
"One!"
Adele cried out, clutching her apron tightly with trembling hands.
“Wasn’t it enough that you were humiliated at Lady Hans’s party, Viscount Eaton?”
"Shut up!"
Boom! The door shook violently as if he had kicked it with his foot.
“Break it!”
Boom! Kwak!
“If you don’t open the door within three counts, these nasty guys will break down the door and come in. You never know what they’ll do! Hahahaha!”
Soon, the laughter of the men continued. There seemed to be at least three or four of them.
"One!"
Adele cried out, clutching her apron tightly with trembling hands.
“Wasn’t it enough that you were humiliated at Lady Hans’s party, Viscount Eaton?”
"Shut up!"
Boom! The door shook violently as if he had kicked it with his foot.
“Break it!”
Boom! Kwak!
Adele's body trembled every time she heard a sound that seemed like it would rip her eardrums. The old wooden door seemed like it would break and crumble at any moment. But she gathered strength in her lower abdomen and shouted with all her might.
“I warn you, if you lay a single hand on me, do you think Count Weiss will stay still?”
Sorry, but for now, she have no choice but to borrow Christine's fame. As expected, she could feel them hesitating. In Kalime, it was a name that could make even a crying child stop crying.
“I warn you, if you lay a single hand on me, do you think Count Weiss will stay still?”
Sorry, but for now, she have no choice but to borrow Christine's fame. As expected, she could feel them hesitating. In Kalime, it was a name that could make even a crying child stop crying.
“Hey, we never mentioned Count Weiss.”
“What is his relationship with this woman?”
A soft whisper. There seemed to be a small commotion among the men. Adele took this moment to muster up some more courage.
“He’ll be here soon. So if you want to live, get out now!”
"Shut up!"
Bam! Finally, the door broke and the figures of the men were visible through the white dust. In the middle of it all, Eaton was grinning, revealing his white teeth.
“Hehehe... Who would fall for your lies? You embarrassed me in front of the Princess. You’re going to pay dearly for that today!”
Eaton nodded to the group of men around him. Then one of the men started to spray liquid from a wooden barrel all around. It smelled like oil. Could he be trying to set the house on fire?
"No!"
The rest of the men rushed at Adele, who was trying to stop them. At that moment, Adele lifted up the hem of her skirt, revealing her white thighs.
“No! Be careful with the knife...!”
Eaton shouted, but their gaze was already fixed on her thigh, and swish! Adele took out the dagger hidden in her garter ring and swung it.
“Ouch, that girl!”
As the man who cut Adele's arm frowned and shouted,
“If you don’t want to die, back off!”
Adele raised her dagger fiercely. There was no way she could fight them with this. But they couldn't rush in without warning.
'If only I could stab just one of them and run away...'
It was when she desperately grabbed the dagger with sweaty hands.
“I’m so sorry. I came here to help you.”
A languid voice came out of nowhere in the tense situation. Everyone turned around to see a man sitting on a red sofa with his chin resting on his hand as if watching.
“What is his relationship with this woman?”
A soft whisper. There seemed to be a small commotion among the men. Adele took this moment to muster up some more courage.
“He’ll be here soon. So if you want to live, get out now!”
"Shut up!"
Bam! Finally, the door broke and the figures of the men were visible through the white dust. In the middle of it all, Eaton was grinning, revealing his white teeth.
“Hehehe... Who would fall for your lies? You embarrassed me in front of the Princess. You’re going to pay dearly for that today!”
Eaton nodded to the group of men around him. Then one of the men started to spray liquid from a wooden barrel all around. It smelled like oil. Could he be trying to set the house on fire?
"No!"
The rest of the men rushed at Adele, who was trying to stop them. At that moment, Adele lifted up the hem of her skirt, revealing her white thighs.
“No! Be careful with the knife...!”
Eaton shouted, but their gaze was already fixed on her thigh, and swish! Adele took out the dagger hidden in her garter ring and swung it.
“Ouch, that girl!”
As the man who cut Adele's arm frowned and shouted,
“If you don’t want to die, back off!”
Adele raised her dagger fiercely. There was no way she could fight them with this. But they couldn't rush in without warning.
'If only I could stab just one of them and run away...'
It was when she desperately grabbed the dagger with sweaty hands.
“I’m so sorry. I came here to help you.”
A languid voice came out of nowhere in the tense situation. Everyone turned around to see a man sitting on a red sofa with his chin resting on his hand as if watching.
***
No one knew how long the man had been there. The ghostly appearance was surprising, but the man’s appearance was even more surprising because it was unrealistically beautiful. Perfect facial features that looked like they were carved from marble, and dazzling silver blonde hair. His red lips, as if soaked in blood, seemed to bewitch anyone.
“Wha, Count Weiss?”
When Eaton shouted, the people around him were thrown into confusion.
“Fuck, are you really here?”
“This is crazy!”
Christine slowly got up from the sofa and approached.
“I asked you that day, Viscount Eaton.”
“That, that day...?”
Eaton, who was wondering, suddenly remembered this voice. Mrs. Hans' party! That day, Adele, who was drunk, was dragged into the room. Then, Adele, who had been lying unconscious, suddenly pulled out a dagger and swung it like that. He was surprised by the unexpected resistance, but someone came up behind him. Then, he whispered in a sweet and gentle voice.
“Avoid dangerous actions.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a pain in the back of his neck and lost consciousness. When he woke up, his mouth was gagged, he was naked, and he was tied to a chair. That guy was Count Weiss?
“I guess the warning that day was too polite.”
“I... was just trying to scare her a little...”
Eaton, who was answering in fear, felt doubtful on the other hand. Unlike the protagonist of the terrifying rumor, Count Weiss, in front of him was a slender and pretty like a girl. The rumor was definitely exaggerated. He wondered how he could deal with the people here...
“Wha, Count Weiss?”
When Eaton shouted, the people around him were thrown into confusion.
“Fuck, are you really here?”
“This is crazy!”
Christine slowly got up from the sofa and approached.
“I asked you that day, Viscount Eaton.”
“That, that day...?”
Eaton, who was wondering, suddenly remembered this voice. Mrs. Hans' party! That day, Adele, who was drunk, was dragged into the room. Then, Adele, who had been lying unconscious, suddenly pulled out a dagger and swung it like that. He was surprised by the unexpected resistance, but someone came up behind him. Then, he whispered in a sweet and gentle voice.
“Avoid dangerous actions.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a pain in the back of his neck and lost consciousness. When he woke up, his mouth was gagged, he was naked, and he was tied to a chair. That guy was Count Weiss?
“I guess the warning that day was too polite.”
“I... was just trying to scare her a little...”
Eaton, who was answering in fear, felt doubtful on the other hand. Unlike the protagonist of the terrifying rumor, Count Weiss, in front of him was a slender and pretty like a girl. The rumor was definitely exaggerated. He wondered how he could deal with the people here...
Swish! At that moment, his eyes flashed, and Christine pulled out his rapier. The long and sharp blade looked just like him. Just looking at it made Eaton suddenly feel his breath catch in his throat and his spine tingle. It seemed to be because of the ominous murderous intent emanating from the blade. He flinched involuntarily and took a step back...
Crunch! He slipped on the oily floor and fell. At the same time, Christine’s rapier pierced his chin.
“Kwaaak!”
Eaton screamed as he thought his jaw was pierced. Meanwhile, Christine's rapier carelessly swept down from under his jaw, to his neck, to his chest, to his stomach, and to the middle of his leg. Just the shadow of the sword touching his stomach split open, and his internal organs were ripped out, and Eaton couldn't breathe in fear.
“Ugh! Sob, s, save me... save me... please... sob!”
He trembled and urinated on the floor. His face was soaked with a mixture of tears, snot, and saliva. Christine swung his rapier around and put it back in its sheath.
“Blood is enough to see on the battlefield.”
Then he smiled thinly as if he had no idea what had happened. With just that, his face quickly became like that of a mischievous boy. Taking advantage of that gap, the rest of the thugs started to run away like crazy. Eaton also tried to run away with a swaying step, but when his eyes met with Christine's, he sat down again.
“Then, I understand that you’ll spare my life... Yes... I can, I can go...”
Christine nodded.
“But only after receiving the Marchioness’s permission.”
Then he placed his hand on the handle of the rapier, ready to draw his sword at any moment. Ethan quickly struck his forehead on the floor and bowed to Adele.
“I have committed a mortal sin, Madame! Please forgive me! I did it in the heat of the moment when I was drunk. Please! Have mercy on me, a lowly being! Please!”
He looked as if he was going to lick the soles of Adele's feet. Adele felt empty because she had been scared by such a person.
“Don’t ever catch my eye again!”
“Yes, yes! Is there any possibility?”
He ran away, peeing from his lower body.
“Aren’t you forgiving too easily? It’s not fun.”
Just as Christine was licking his lips with a displeased expression, Adele dropped the dagger she was holding and sank to the floor. She had been swinging her sword so proudly just a moment ago, but now she was trembling like a pitiful little animal.
"Are you okay?"
“Yeah, thank you... Chris...”
She forced a smile and greeted him, still trembling.
“I think I’ll have to clean up, so I think it’d be better to sleep somewhere else tonight.”
He looked around the house. There was grease on the floor and pieces of broken storage doors were strewn about.
“It’s okay. This much is...”
“Is it because it happens so often that you’ve become trained?”
Christine let out a sarcastic remark. He knew that it wasn't her fault that she ended up like this. But he was angry that she kept pretending that everything was okay. How nice. She left, saying she was going to live well on her own, and now she's getting pointed at, and now she's ending up like this.
“Then it seems like you don’t need my help, so that’s it.”
Christine, who was about to turn around decisively, stopped. When he looked down, he saw Adele, who was sitting down, holding the hem of his coat tightly.
“Can’t you... Stay with me for a little while? I know it’s ugly, but can you stay with me for a little while... Yes?”
Her eyes looked up at him, pleading. Those eyes were so pitiful that Christine had to look away.
“Just a little bit.”
Eaton screamed as he thought his jaw was pierced. Meanwhile, Christine's rapier carelessly swept down from under his jaw, to his neck, to his chest, to his stomach, and to the middle of his leg. Just the shadow of the sword touching his stomach split open, and his internal organs were ripped out, and Eaton couldn't breathe in fear.
“Ugh! Sob, s, save me... save me... please... sob!”
He trembled and urinated on the floor. His face was soaked with a mixture of tears, snot, and saliva. Christine swung his rapier around and put it back in its sheath.
“Blood is enough to see on the battlefield.”
Then he smiled thinly as if he had no idea what had happened. With just that, his face quickly became like that of a mischievous boy. Taking advantage of that gap, the rest of the thugs started to run away like crazy. Eaton also tried to run away with a swaying step, but when his eyes met with Christine's, he sat down again.
“Then, I understand that you’ll spare my life... Yes... I can, I can go...”
Christine nodded.
“But only after receiving the Marchioness’s permission.”
Then he placed his hand on the handle of the rapier, ready to draw his sword at any moment. Ethan quickly struck his forehead on the floor and bowed to Adele.
“I have committed a mortal sin, Madame! Please forgive me! I did it in the heat of the moment when I was drunk. Please! Have mercy on me, a lowly being! Please!”
He looked as if he was going to lick the soles of Adele's feet. Adele felt empty because she had been scared by such a person.
“Don’t ever catch my eye again!”
“Yes, yes! Is there any possibility?”
He ran away, peeing from his lower body.
“Aren’t you forgiving too easily? It’s not fun.”
Just as Christine was licking his lips with a displeased expression, Adele dropped the dagger she was holding and sank to the floor. She had been swinging her sword so proudly just a moment ago, but now she was trembling like a pitiful little animal.
"Are you okay?"
“Yeah, thank you... Chris...”
She forced a smile and greeted him, still trembling.
“I think I’ll have to clean up, so I think it’d be better to sleep somewhere else tonight.”
He looked around the house. There was grease on the floor and pieces of broken storage doors were strewn about.
“It’s okay. This much is...”
“Is it because it happens so often that you’ve become trained?”
Christine let out a sarcastic remark. He knew that it wasn't her fault that she ended up like this. But he was angry that she kept pretending that everything was okay. How nice. She left, saying she was going to live well on her own, and now she's getting pointed at, and now she's ending up like this.
“Then it seems like you don’t need my help, so that’s it.”
Christine, who was about to turn around decisively, stopped. When he looked down, he saw Adele, who was sitting down, holding the hem of his coat tightly.
“Can’t you... Stay with me for a little while? I know it’s ugly, but can you stay with me for a little while... Yes?”
Her eyes looked up at him, pleading. Those eyes were so pitiful that Christine had to look away.
“Just a little bit.”
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