Noah bent down to look at my face, then turned his head and looked at Dr. Rugen.
“Grandpa, it's me.”
Noah sighed and cleared his throat. Slowly turning, he faced the doctor completely, his face expressionless. The pupils in his sharp, blue eyes were narrow.
“I told you not to bother her.”
The air around him seemed to freeze as the eerie, subdued voice rang out. Dr. Rugen closed his eyes silently, then slowly opened them.
“So, please send me somewhere else. I don’t want to cause any more harm.”
"Yeah. I don't think it'll get any better. I did my best. I'll send you back to the Republic you came from."
At Noah's words, Dr. Rugen's face twisted in fear. The fact that the doctor had been brutally tortured in the Republic concentration camps flashed before him.
I don't need you.
I felt a pang of relief as if I could hear his inner thoughts. The sight of Noah smiling while saying such harsh words felt unfamiliar and yet deeply frustrating.
Even though I already know very well that he is that kind of person.
“You’re feeling better.”
At my words, the doctor and Noah looked at me simultaneously. I stood there, pressing my cheek with a handkerchief, and looked down at the doctor.
"Doctor, I know you did this on purpose because you wanted to leave this mansion."
He had clearly improved. I thought he might have deliberately left the place, perhaps because he didn't want to be a burden or for some other reason.
I don't know why I'm so generous to the doctor. No, I don't feel comfortable sending an elderly person away alone in a remote place.
My grandfather was in a top-class nursing home with a therapist before he passed away, but the place he will end up in will likely be a bad environment.
The doctor asked with a frown.
“Are you trying to say that I was being rude on purpose?”
“I understand everything, so stay here. You have nowhere else to go.”
Noah spoke firmly with a kind face.
"No."
"Yes, I will. I will help you too. You have something you want from me, Doctor, don't you?"
Noah and I stared at each other silently. In our shared gaze, we exchanged a private, inaudible message. Noah's once-icy eyes softened, and he looked down at the doctor.
"Then I'll give you one last chance. If you hurt or touch me one more time, I know I won't be able to do anything, no matter how much you beg me."
"Just send me to a nursing home or a convalescent home. All of this would be terrible for your wife and your unborn children."
The doctor asked, his shoulders slumped weakly. Ignoring his pleas, Noah led me out of the room.
“I’ll call a doctor.”
“It was just a light scratch.”
“It won’t do if you have a scar.”
“I don’t want to lose. I just want to rest.”
I didn't tell him about losing the ring or the maid's testimony. I figured I could get it back if I tried to convince him again.
I couldn't sleep after waking up early in the morning. I tossed and turned, staring out the window at the early morning rain, and then I felt a desperate need for a beer, licking my lips.
I went down to the dining room in my pajamas, wrapped in a shawl, and took an ale from the cupboard. It had a flat, bitter, barley-like flavor, lacking the refreshing coolness of the beer I used to drink in my daily life.
I squinted my eyes at the shadow loitering in the distance beyond the entrance. I suspected it was a ghost, but the water-soaked, sloshing footsteps were a human.
"Who are you?"
At my question, a man stepped in, hesitantly. Dr. Rugen was standing there, drenched in rain, dripping wet. Startled, I sat up and approached him.
“Doctor?”
“No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find it. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry...”
"Yes?"
The pitiful old man wiped his rain-soaked face and sighed deeply.
"I mean, the wedding ring. I went looking for it, wondering if it was really me. But I just can't remember."
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry for doubting you.”
I don't know when, but it seemed like he'd been wandering for a long time, searching for a ring he couldn't even remember, and my heart ached. The doctor, with a sad expression, looked at the bandage on my cheek and kept rubbing his eyes.
A skinny old man, soaked in rain and looking shabby. He was crying.
“I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry for hurting you... Just let me go, baby.”
“I’m not in any trouble. So, please stay here.”
“No, no. That’s not what I meant. Actually...”
Dr. Rugen, who had been making lonely requests, suddenly stopped speaking. His faded eyes darted around, then stared into space. With a dazed look in his eyes, he blurted out abruptly.
“Do you know something small, smaller, and even smaller, you know?”
"Yes?"
“It’s so interesting. It’s so small and so light that it creates all things and makes the world...”
“Oh, Doctor? You were out and about? You must have caught a cold!”
A maid came down early to prepare breakfast. She was startled by the sight of the doctor, who looked like a drowned rat, and then led him to his room. I pondered his words for a moment before heading back to the bedroom.
As I entered the bedroom, Noah, who was leaning against the velvet sofa, smiled languidly with a sleepy face.
“Why are you up earlier than me? Where have you been?”
“I’m thirsty. Hey, Noah.”
"Yes."
“That could be true.”
Noah's face seemed to understand what I meant. I guessed why Noah was bringing Dr. Rugen with him.
The doctor previously said that his grandson, like the imperialists, was trying to exploit him. Noah may be trying to develop something with investments from Medea and the lieutenant colonel's older brother, Jace.
Noah knows part of this knowledge, and Dr. Rugen knows the rest. Perhaps Mastiff is pretending to cooperate with the Princess to persuade Noah. Perhaps he's even partially cooperating.
It could be the maid's personal malice that annoyed the ill-tempered old man, but it is also possible that she framed him for stealing the wedding ring to get Dr. Rugen kicked out.
If the above hypothesis is correct, some of the possible pieces fit together, revealing a certain outline. The Frogen side intends to use the Princess to block its development. Could it be something like the incendiary bomb from my world, so horrific that its use as a weapon of mass destruction is prohibited under international law?
The thought that the war would continue for generations surged through me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I looked at Noah with that same emotion and spoke.
“Noah, I hate war.”
“I know. I’ve heard it about five times now.”
"I hate the thought that I, or those around me, might die. I'm all about myself. Self-centered, huh?"
“Yeah. I like it because you're self-centered.”
Noah's silver-white hair was tangled and matted as he leaned his head against the back of the sofa. He stretched and added in a hushed voice.
“There is nothing more shameful than dying for someone you don’t know.”
“Is it a good thing I’m not that kind of person?”
"My parents died in an accident while trying to save and help the Esatians. They were probably murdered."
Noah lowered his eyes and sighed softly. It seemed he had been harboring resentment, having suffered since childhood without the protection of his parents.
“I don’t understand why they did it. They did it even though they knew I’d be left alone at such a young age.”
“I think I know.”
I leaned against Noah's shoulder and whispered to him, "They've worked hard to protect the Esatians from further discrimination and persecution."
Coming from a world long after time had passed, I had some understanding of their humanitarian intentions.
“Because you have the characteristics of an Esatian. You have pretty hair, pretty eyes, nose, and mouth, just like your mother, right?”
Noah stared at me silently.
"My face resembles my father's. Everyone says that whenever they see me, it feels like they're talking to him."
“Oh, anyway.”
I coughed and continued to express my opinion.
"Unless awareness improves, discriminated and oppressed people will continue to be discriminated against through prejudice. They were worried you might be treated that way, too."
“I see. The Princess is a deep thinker.”
"Anyway... these are all tragedies related to war. Please don't start a war. It'll interfere with our marriage."
It was meant as a joke, but it was also serious. Noah raised the corners of his mouth and smiled lazily.
"Still, it's bound to happen. The Frogen side will strike first. The Emperor is crazy about war. All he cares about is violent diplomacy, a show of force, and domination based on the law of the jungle."
I don't know, since the history of where I originally lived is similar, but not entirely identical. I figured he was preparing for the war with the Frogens, so I decided to trust what he would do.
Princess Erita was sitting leisurely, reading the letter from the Mastiff that Ayla had brought, when her eyes widened, and she suddenly sat up.
Ayla was still bowing obediently, but the atmosphere was strangely different from before.
“You’re really good. I respect you.”
“Yes. He said he liked me.”
Despite the Princess's sarcastic remarks, Ayla maintained a polite demeanor and responded calmly.
“Wow, what a great girl.”
"Send her to me once a week. However, if she dies or her body gets injured, there will be no further cooperation."
It was part of the letter. It was so obvious, like a picture of what had transpired between them. He was a man countless women had tried to seduce, but failed. Most of them, presumably, died.
Because he mercilessly killed any woman he slept with.
It was remarkable how he tried to protect Ayla by sending her back to her and periodically sending her to him.
Princess Melita was getting annoyed. She was going to use Ayla for a bit and kill her. But since it was possible to frame her after her death, she thought it was easy.
She had no idea that the subhuman, insignificant creature she'd trampled upon could be such a desirable woman. Princess Erita, her pride and self-importance diminished to a crawl, eventually began to feel fear and anxiety.
“If you touch Noah, I’ll kill you for real.”
Ayla's blurry eyes stared at the Princess for a moment before dropping down.
"Yes."
“It would be okay to hit you so that it doesn’t leave a trace.”
Even the cruel Princess's words didn't move her. Previously, she would have been terrified, her large eyes brimming with tears, and begged miserably.
Ayla's answer, which showed no change in expression as before, left her very flustered.
“I have a mouth, Princess.”
"What?"
“A person who knows how to speak, listen, and think. Not a beast.”
Ayla looked up calmly and smiled faintly.
“What salvation do you desire, Miss Ayla?”
Mastiff's voice, thick with warmth, drifted into her ear, feeling incredibly sweet. She no longer feared Princess Erita's fierce, cat-like eyes.
Late one night, while Princess Erita was playing poker with her maids, Ayla sneaked into the Princess's empty room under the pretext of cleaning and secretly stole something from a drawer.
The diamond ring glittered on her hand, then disappeared into her bosom. She muttered to herself as she left the room.
She has a head to judge right from wrong, hands to correct and act, a mouth to confess and repent, and legs to walk her own path. So, she will no longer be swayed or afraid.
She is the same person as everyone else.
“Grandpa, it's me.”
Noah sighed and cleared his throat. Slowly turning, he faced the doctor completely, his face expressionless. The pupils in his sharp, blue eyes were narrow.
“I told you not to bother her.”
The air around him seemed to freeze as the eerie, subdued voice rang out. Dr. Rugen closed his eyes silently, then slowly opened them.
“So, please send me somewhere else. I don’t want to cause any more harm.”
"Yeah. I don't think it'll get any better. I did my best. I'll send you back to the Republic you came from."
At Noah's words, Dr. Rugen's face twisted in fear. The fact that the doctor had been brutally tortured in the Republic concentration camps flashed before him.
I don't need you.
I felt a pang of relief as if I could hear his inner thoughts. The sight of Noah smiling while saying such harsh words felt unfamiliar and yet deeply frustrating.
Even though I already know very well that he is that kind of person.
“You’re feeling better.”
At my words, the doctor and Noah looked at me simultaneously. I stood there, pressing my cheek with a handkerchief, and looked down at the doctor.
"Doctor, I know you did this on purpose because you wanted to leave this mansion."
He had clearly improved. I thought he might have deliberately left the place, perhaps because he didn't want to be a burden or for some other reason.
I don't know why I'm so generous to the doctor. No, I don't feel comfortable sending an elderly person away alone in a remote place.
My grandfather was in a top-class nursing home with a therapist before he passed away, but the place he will end up in will likely be a bad environment.
The doctor asked with a frown.
“Are you trying to say that I was being rude on purpose?”
“I understand everything, so stay here. You have nowhere else to go.”
Noah spoke firmly with a kind face.
"No."
"Yes, I will. I will help you too. You have something you want from me, Doctor, don't you?"
Noah and I stared at each other silently. In our shared gaze, we exchanged a private, inaudible message. Noah's once-icy eyes softened, and he looked down at the doctor.
"Then I'll give you one last chance. If you hurt or touch me one more time, I know I won't be able to do anything, no matter how much you beg me."
"Just send me to a nursing home or a convalescent home. All of this would be terrible for your wife and your unborn children."
The doctor asked, his shoulders slumped weakly. Ignoring his pleas, Noah led me out of the room.
“I’ll call a doctor.”
“It was just a light scratch.”
“It won’t do if you have a scar.”
“I don’t want to lose. I just want to rest.”
I didn't tell him about losing the ring or the maid's testimony. I figured I could get it back if I tried to convince him again.
***
I couldn't sleep after waking up early in the morning. I tossed and turned, staring out the window at the early morning rain, and then I felt a desperate need for a beer, licking my lips.
I went down to the dining room in my pajamas, wrapped in a shawl, and took an ale from the cupboard. It had a flat, bitter, barley-like flavor, lacking the refreshing coolness of the beer I used to drink in my daily life.
I squinted my eyes at the shadow loitering in the distance beyond the entrance. I suspected it was a ghost, but the water-soaked, sloshing footsteps were a human.
"Who are you?"
At my question, a man stepped in, hesitantly. Dr. Rugen was standing there, drenched in rain, dripping wet. Startled, I sat up and approached him.
“Doctor?”
“No matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find it. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry...”
"Yes?"
The pitiful old man wiped his rain-soaked face and sighed deeply.
"I mean, the wedding ring. I went looking for it, wondering if it was really me. But I just can't remember."
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry for doubting you.”
I don't know when, but it seemed like he'd been wandering for a long time, searching for a ring he couldn't even remember, and my heart ached. The doctor, with a sad expression, looked at the bandage on my cheek and kept rubbing his eyes.
A skinny old man, soaked in rain and looking shabby. He was crying.
“I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry for hurting you... Just let me go, baby.”
“I’m not in any trouble. So, please stay here.”
“No, no. That’s not what I meant. Actually...”
Dr. Rugen, who had been making lonely requests, suddenly stopped speaking. His faded eyes darted around, then stared into space. With a dazed look in his eyes, he blurted out abruptly.
“Do you know something small, smaller, and even smaller, you know?”
"Yes?"
“It’s so interesting. It’s so small and so light that it creates all things and makes the world...”
“Oh, Doctor? You were out and about? You must have caught a cold!”
A maid came down early to prepare breakfast. She was startled by the sight of the doctor, who looked like a drowned rat, and then led him to his room. I pondered his words for a moment before heading back to the bedroom.
As I entered the bedroom, Noah, who was leaning against the velvet sofa, smiled languidly with a sleepy face.
“Why are you up earlier than me? Where have you been?”
“I’m thirsty. Hey, Noah.”
"Yes."
“Could one of the Princess's maids be among them?”
Noah's face seemed to understand what I meant. I guessed why Noah was bringing Dr. Rugen with him.
The doctor previously said that his grandson, like the imperialists, was trying to exploit him. Noah may be trying to develop something with investments from Medea and the lieutenant colonel's older brother, Jace.
Noah knows part of this knowledge, and Dr. Rugen knows the rest. Perhaps Mastiff is pretending to cooperate with the Princess to persuade Noah. Perhaps he's even partially cooperating.
It could be the maid's personal malice that annoyed the ill-tempered old man, but it is also possible that she framed him for stealing the wedding ring to get Dr. Rugen kicked out.
If the above hypothesis is correct, some of the possible pieces fit together, revealing a certain outline. The Frogen side intends to use the Princess to block its development. Could it be something like the incendiary bomb from my world, so horrific that its use as a weapon of mass destruction is prohibited under international law?
The thought that the war would continue for generations surged through me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I looked at Noah with that same emotion and spoke.
“Noah, I hate war.”
“I know. I’ve heard it about five times now.”
"I hate the thought that I, or those around me, might die. I'm all about myself. Self-centered, huh?"
“Yeah. I like it because you're self-centered.”
Noah's silver-white hair was tangled and matted as he leaned his head against the back of the sofa. He stretched and added in a hushed voice.
“There is nothing more shameful than dying for someone you don’t know.”
“Is it a good thing I’m not that kind of person?”
"My parents died in an accident while trying to save and help the Esatians. They were probably murdered."
Noah lowered his eyes and sighed softly. It seemed he had been harboring resentment, having suffered since childhood without the protection of his parents.
“I don’t understand why they did it. They did it even though they knew I’d be left alone at such a young age.”
“I think I know.”
I leaned against Noah's shoulder and whispered to him, "They've worked hard to protect the Esatians from further discrimination and persecution."
Coming from a world long after time had passed, I had some understanding of their humanitarian intentions.
“Because you have the characteristics of an Esatian. You have pretty hair, pretty eyes, nose, and mouth, just like your mother, right?”
Noah stared at me silently.
"My face resembles my father's. Everyone says that whenever they see me, it feels like they're talking to him."
“Oh, anyway.”
I coughed and continued to express my opinion.
"Unless awareness improves, discriminated and oppressed people will continue to be discriminated against through prejudice. They were worried you might be treated that way, too."
“I see. The Princess is a deep thinker.”
"Anyway... these are all tragedies related to war. Please don't start a war. It'll interfere with our marriage."
It was meant as a joke, but it was also serious. Noah raised the corners of his mouth and smiled lazily.
"Still, it's bound to happen. The Frogen side will strike first. The Emperor is crazy about war. All he cares about is violent diplomacy, a show of force, and domination based on the law of the jungle."
I don't know, since the history of where I originally lived is similar, but not entirely identical. I figured he was preparing for the war with the Frogens, so I decided to trust what he would do.
***
Princess Erita was sitting leisurely, reading the letter from the Mastiff that Ayla had brought, when her eyes widened, and she suddenly sat up.
Ayla was still bowing obediently, but the atmosphere was strangely different from before.
“You’re really good. I respect you.”
“Yes. He said he liked me.”
Despite the Princess's sarcastic remarks, Ayla maintained a polite demeanor and responded calmly.
“Wow, what a great girl.”
"Send her to me once a week. However, if she dies or her body gets injured, there will be no further cooperation."
It was part of the letter. It was so obvious, like a picture of what had transpired between them. He was a man countless women had tried to seduce, but failed. Most of them, presumably, died.
Because he mercilessly killed any woman he slept with.
It was remarkable how he tried to protect Ayla by sending her back to her and periodically sending her to him.
Princess Melita was getting annoyed. She was going to use Ayla for a bit and kill her. But since it was possible to frame her after her death, she thought it was easy.
She had no idea that the subhuman, insignificant creature she'd trampled upon could be such a desirable woman. Princess Erita, her pride and self-importance diminished to a crawl, eventually began to feel fear and anxiety.
“If you touch Noah, I’ll kill you for real.”
Ayla's blurry eyes stared at the Princess for a moment before dropping down.
"Yes."
“It would be okay to hit you so that it doesn’t leave a trace.”
Even the cruel Princess's words didn't move her. Previously, she would have been terrified, her large eyes brimming with tears, and begged miserably.
Ayla's answer, which showed no change in expression as before, left her very flustered.
“I have a mouth, Princess.”
"What?"
“A person who knows how to speak, listen, and think. Not a beast.”
Ayla looked up calmly and smiled faintly.
“What salvation do you desire, Miss Ayla?”
Mastiff's voice, thick with warmth, drifted into her ear, feeling incredibly sweet. She no longer feared Princess Erita's fierce, cat-like eyes.
Late one night, while Princess Erita was playing poker with her maids, Ayla sneaked into the Princess's empty room under the pretext of cleaning and secretly stole something from a drawer.
The diamond ring glittered on her hand, then disappeared into her bosom. She muttered to herself as she left the room.
She has a head to judge right from wrong, hands to correct and act, a mouth to confess and repent, and legs to walk her own path. So, she will no longer be swayed or afraid.
She is the same person as everyone else.
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