Chapter 52
“There was a secret door inside the protagonist’s closet. She went through it, fought with the monster, and in the end killed it. Peace returned to the castle. And then, everyone lived happily ever after.”
It was a typical ending, yet strangely left a bitter aftertaste.
Remembering the conclusion she had read over and over, Nina frowned.
“Nina, you don’t like the ending, do you?”
“Mm-hm. Some people interpret the monster as the protagonist’s anxious heart, but I don’t know… somehow, I just feel sorry for the monster.”
“…You feel sorry for the monster? Why?”
Mesha’s expression was one of genuine surprise.
He looked so startled that Nina suddenly wondered if she had said something strange.
“Well, the monster and the protagonist have the same name. I mean, maybe the monster wasn’t a monster from the beginning. Locked alone in a dark room, watching the protagonist every day… I wonder how that must have felt.”
In truth, Nina didn’t need to imagine how the monster felt.
The feeling of secretly watching a child like herself, loved and cherished by their parents while she herself remained in the shadows.
That feeling, Nina already knew all too well.
Perhaps that was why she sympathized with the monster.
“Of course, it’s a relief that the protagonist is happy, but still…”
Mumbling a little awkwardly, Nina glanced at Mesha’s face.
He still hadn’t moved. He just stared at her.
His wide golden eyes flickered with an odd ripple of emotion.
It was so unfamiliar that Nina was confused for a moment, but in the next instant, Mesha’s face returned to his usual calm, smiling expression, as though nothing had happened.
“I see. If what you said is true, then maybe the claim that the protagonist lived happily ever after was a lie.”
“Why?”
“Because she could end up in the same situation as the monster at any time. If the next child with the same name came along.”
It was a chilling thought, but also strangely convincing.
Nina hugged the puppy that had placed its front paws on her shoulder, trying to shake off the cold sensation.
“That really could happen. Then why would the parents lock the child away like that, forcing them to watch everything?”
“My guess is… it’s their way of education.”
“Education?”
“They deliberately give the new child the old one’s name and shower them with affection. Even if it’s not a human child, the intention is clear. What else could it be but an attempt at taming?”
You have a problem.
If you want to return to the way things were, repent and behave like this child.
Even Nina, who had lived as the black sheep of her family, thought it was atrocious.
If Leopald and Diana did something like that, her current self wouldn’t even blink.
But if it were her past self—the child desperately craving her guardians’ love—caught in that kind of situation…
In the story, the child ultimately became a monster.
By the end, was it really the monster who died, or the girl who had once been the protagonist?
“They’ll kill them.”
The sudden words made Mesha startle.
Nina herself was surprised at what she had just blurted out.
“You mean… the new child?”
“No, the parents. The monster will kill the parents someday. And they’ll deserve it.”
As she spoke, Nina felt as though something was on the verge of clicking into place, like a half-formed memory or an incomplete chain of thought.
A child turned into a monster by cruel abuse eventually killing their parents.
And in Nina’s memory—the kidnapped survivors of Hameln, children who for some reason went mad and slaughtered their families, becoming monsters themselves.
But it was hard to believe that all the children Hameln kidnapped had gone through the same ordeal as in the storybook.
Something was almost connecting, but not quite.
Could Hameln himself have experienced something like this? Is that why he liked this book so much?
Nina racked her brain, trying to find a link.
But aside from the family massacre committed by Hameln’s children, there was only one similar case in the Empire’s history: the Cherny family main estate incident, decades ago.
And that had merely been the result of infighting among branch families.
Maybe I should look into that case more closely first.
Her thoughts tangled like a knot of string. Just then, she flinched when she felt her hand being taken.
At some point, Mesha had stepped closer and was holding her hand.
A strange warmth pulsed from his grasp.
His golden eyes, gazing softly into hers, carried the same uncanny heat.
“Nina, you’re right.”
Before returning to the penthouse, Nina picked up some free dog- and cat-shaped lollipops from the pet café.
Not for herself—she planned to give them to Katya and the others.
When she stepped into the private penthouse lift, the cityscape behind the hotel spread out beyond the transparent walls.
Nina’s eyes widened as she peered down. Then, turning to Mesha, she smiled.
“It was fun. Thanks for taking me.”
They had borrowed books, seen plenty of puppies and kittens, and she’d even gained a new perspective on the storybook.
Feeling truly grateful, Nina beamed as she spoke. Mesha blinked a few times, then averted his gaze as he replied:
“I’m glad you feel better. Let’s go again next time.”
“Yeah!”
Nina then began examining the candies from the café.
Each was wrapped in clear plastic, with different shapes and colors. It was hard to guess the flavors.
“Mesha, what flavor do you think this brown one is?”
“Let me see… hmm, looks like chocolate to me…”
“That’s cat poop flavor.”
Someone snickered as they cut in.
It was one of the gang members, with a fresh scratch on his cheek from a cat’s claws.
As the air froze, the lift stopped and its doors opened.
“What took you so long—hey, you bastards! What did you do to my baby?!”
Kiss had apparently been waiting right outside the lift.
While Nina, frozen in shock, tried to regain her wits, Mesha casually held out the brown candy toward Kiss.
“That man gave Nina a cat poop candy.”
The poor gang member, accused without warning, had no chance to explain.
Kiss quietly took the candy from Mesha’s hand, then stormed forward and began shoving it mercilessly down the unfortunate man’s throat.
“W-wait, Master Kiss! I just meant cat poop coffee, I wasn’t—kuh-hhh!”
Despite the pitiful sight of their comrade being murdered by candy, none of the fake security team dared to stop Kiss.
In the grim silence, someone muttered indifferently:
“Mother is truly great.”
Mesha stifled a laugh, while Nina darted her gaze around in surprise.
“Uncle Ravi?”
Ravian was leaning against a window in the corridor, a cigarette between his lips.
When Nina trotted over, he tucked the unlit cigarette away and asked bluntly:
“Where’ve you been?”
“I went to the library with Mesha, then saw some puppies and kittens. There were so many puppies!”
Nina rocked on her toes, trying to read his expression.
She wondered if he had read the storybook yet. And when they would be leaving for the capital…
“Puppies and kittens…? Ah, that place. If you’re going out, you should at least say something.”
“Sorry.”
Nina meekly apologized, though she had plenty of excuses if pressed.
Just then, Mesha placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and interjected:
“I asked her to come. Nina seemed down this morning, so I thought some fresh air might help. Do you know why?”
“…”
Ravian glared at Mesha’s hand on Nina’s shoulder with open disapproval.
Why was this brat suddenly acting cool?
And as if to pour oil on the fire, Kiss—having just tossed aside the fainted gang member—approached.
