Chapter 73
“Y-Young Master….”
“Why. It’s my and Lari’s room—can’t I do as I please?”
“N-No. That’s not it….”
“If it’s not, then step back. I’m tired of you going on. Don’t talk to me. If you’re going to ignore what I say, then you all can be the Young Master instead.”
Rohen never spoke gently to others.
First and foremost, Rohen despised humans themselves. Because of what had been done to him.
‘His hatred of humans needs to get better little by little. But I can’t stand the sight of it.’
Still, I suppose it’s a relief that he seems less guarded around the Head Priestess and Rex.
‘He doesn’t even show wariness toward the Grand Duke.’
It seems the child’s instincts are quite sharp. He loosens his guard, at least a little, only around those who truly mean him no harm.
‘But why is he so sensitive about Priestess Melodia?’
I don’t know. Priestess Melodia helped us. Is it just because she reminds him of the orphanage days?
While I shook my head at things I couldn’t understand, the maids withdrew.
“Then everyone, please leave. You heard the two of them well, didn’t you? No one else is to be allowed entry. If, by any chance, you fail to comply, I will report it directly to His Grace the Grand Duke.”
“…….”
Rex, more resolute than ever, ushered them out. Pushed back to the very end, they had no choice but to be driven from the room.
“What shall we do about the meal?”
Can we trust the food they brought? I don’t know for sure, but we can’t simply starve.
“Can Riren bring it?”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
Riren smiled brightly and stepped outside.
“Should we inform His Grace the Grand Duke about this matter again…?”
“No. If Rohen said that much, they’ll have understood.”
I shifted my gaze to Rohen.
“Don’t let yourself be intimidated anywhere. You are us, and we are you. Okay?”
“Yeah!”
“Anyway… sometimes I think.”
“About what?”
“……That maybe you’re not happy being here. For us… this place is home, but it isn’t for you. Still… I have no intention of sending you away. That’s all I’m saying. So… that knight over there better take good care of Aisha.”
Rohen directed something that was not quite an order, yet not not an order, toward Rex.
“Yes!”
I went over to Rohen and pulled him tightly into my arms. To think he was worrying that I might get hurt, that staying here might be difficult for me.
“Thank you, Rohen.”
“For what.”
He could have pushed me away in annoyance, but instead Rohen stood still, accepting my gentle pats.
I’ll protect you no matter what.
‘Still, the Grand Duchess’s true face will be revealed soon. When that happens, we’ll be able to bring that woman down.’
Since no one except a physician was allowed into the room, the physician would arrive soon. And for some reason, I had a pleasant premonition that we would soon uncover everything we wanted to know.
In the meantime, Riren returned to the room carrying food.
“The dishes the maids brought earlier were all supplied from Her Grace the Grand Duchess’s palace. So there were only slightly different dishes available apart from those.”
“From Her Grace the Grand Duchess’s palace?”
“Yes.”
No wonder the quality was so high. Even sitting on the tray they looked splendid, and the delicious aroma had filled the air—so that was why.
“If you would prefer to eat those dishes….”
“No. This is enough for us.”
I took Rohen’s hand as I looked over the food Riren had brought. Contrary to expectations that, because of his starving past, he might have a strong craving for food, Rohen showed no particular attachment to it. Perhaps because of that, he ate what Riren brought without much emotion.
I ate with him and let myself sink into thought for a moment.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“Let’s take care of it all at once.”
“Take care of what?”
Riren, who had been pouring water, tilted her head.
“Rex. Could you clear out all the dolls in the room?”
Rex, who had been standing beside us in case of any unforeseen situation, flinched in surprise.
“Pardon? I don’t mind doing so… but aren’t you going to the library after your meal?”
“That’s true. Maybe it should be done before we go to the library….”
As I hesitated, Riren stepped forward first.
“I’ll take care of it. By the time you return, I’ll have cleared them all out.”
As if bound by a deep sense of duty that he must always accompany me whenever I went out, Rex looked troubled for a moment before smiling.
“Very well. Then please make it obvious enough that everyone will notice.”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to the library again?”
“Yeah! I need a certain book today.”
I had asked both of them to look into the identity of that seed-like thing. And I couldn’t just sit still either. It wouldn’t be easily uncovered through my investigation alone, but I still couldn’t do nothing.
“I’ll be back soon!”
“Well… all right.”
I didn’t want to waste a single moment. As soon as we finished eating, I headed straight to the library. The book I borrowed last time hadn’t contained anything special. So this time, I picked up books describing a wider variety of plants, along with some that Rohen might enjoy reading.
“Um, Rex.”
“Yes.”
“Is it all right if I don’t go to His Grace the Grand Duke today? I’ll be reading, so could you ask for me?”
“Ah… will you be all right by yourself?”
“Yes!”
Because I have something to do. I nodded firmly at him.
“Understood. Then please stay here for a moment. I’ll return shortly.”
“Yes! And while you’re at it, please also ask if we may visit the temple tomorrow.”
As soon as he left, I took out a small book from a corner of the section where the fairy tales were kept. A book with nothing written inside. Using one of the pens placed throughout the library, I began to write letters.
My memories are gradually fading.
They had already begun to fade even before I came to the temple and met the Head Priestess, but now they have grown even more indistinct.
I don’t know the reason, but those incidents are worsening little by little. So whenever I come to the library, I write down my story. In the letters of Korea where I once lived—letters no one else here can read.
The things I remember, what I experienced at the temple, the stories from my dreams. Even the stories of reality. As if I had no tomorrow, I wrote my story there and tucked it into a book in a corner of the library where no one would ever know.
Just in case, I once showed the letters I wrote to others, but there was no one who could recognize them.
Every time I come, I read it again. To engrave it clearly. Who I am. Where this place is. Who is a bad person and what they are trying to do.
“At this rate… I’ll really forget everything except the one thought that I have to help the children.”
Is even this what God wants?
I don’t know, but I must not lose my purpose.
Why I cling so desperately to the children, why I’ve become so blind in my devotion. What it is I must do.
After writing it all down, I slipped the book among the fairy tales.
Then I quickly flipped through the plant books, intending to read them here.
“It’s not coming up as well as I thought.”
A seed. A peculiar seed. No matter how I looked at it, plant seeds all seemed more or less the same. As expected, it was difficult to find the shape I was looking for this time as well.
‘Well, it wouldn’t be that easy to find.’
I let out a faint laugh. It would make no sense for my life to flow so easily. Honestly, if it were something a child could uncover just by flipping through a few books, the Grand Duchess wouldn’t have hidden it deep inside a doll’s stuffing like that.
‘But why hide it inside the stuffing?’
Why in a doll of all things? A doll a child always carries around. Was there a reason it had to be placed inside that stuffing? Because it would be closest at hand? Or…
Just then—
“I have returned, Lady Aisha.”
Rex had come back. I hurriedly closed the book I was reading and placed it back on the shelf.
It would be better not to take this to the room. It wouldn’t be good if it were revealed that I knew about the existence of that seed before Rex and Riren brought back information. And if we go to the temple tomorrow, they will surely search the room.
Then they would see everything I was looking at.
So after quickly tidying up, I stood. Rex had already come to stand beside me.
“Yes. I was just finished too. What did His Grace the Grand Duke say?”
“He said he would be pleased if you came today, but if you are busy, tomorrow would also be fine. He also said it is all right to visit the temple tomorrow.”
“Yes! Then let’s return to the room.”
To meet Rohen, who would be waiting. Together with Rex, I returned to the room. I went straight into the room where Lari was.
“Did you get back safely?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s in the library that you go there every day?”
“Books are fun.”
“Fun, huh.”
Though he questioned what was so fun about them, Rohen was examining the books I brought. Though he had lacked education until now, there was no doubt that Rohen loved learning more than anyone. He was looking through every single book I had brought.
“Let’s go together later. When Lari wakes up.”
“Uh… she’ll wake up soon. We got rid of all the dolls… maybe that’ll help?”
I thought something felt empty—there wasn’t a single doll left.
“Lari. Unni’s back. How long are you going to keep sleeping….”
I looked at Lari and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Very slightly, but Lari’s body temperature had risen.
“But now that I think about it, there was something a little strange.”
“Something strange?”
