Chapter 56
Julian could never forget the shock he felt the first time he visited the Obelia household.
In the small parlor, the family gathered closely together and welcomed him with bright smiles.
Each of their faces was a little different, yet somehow alike, and they all smiled at him at once.
The house was always filled with the delicious smell of food.
Laughter never ceased. They fought and grew angry even over the smallest things.
Julian first learned in the Obelia household that chess could be such a dangerous game that sisters might hurl harsh words at each other.
But even the fiercest quarrels blazing like fire quickly subsided once they sat at the generous dinner table.
As though nothing had happened, they would look at each other again and burst out laughing.
The Obelia family was the ideal of “family” that Julian had only ever read about in books, the kind he had vaguely imagined.
There could be no family more deserving of that word than the Obelias.
Here, Julian saw the true source of Rebecca’s strength.
The seed of her boundless passion, which continued to surge forth no matter the trials, lay hidden within her family.
And so, Julian felt sorrow.
Because it made him think: I will never be strong.
The strength Rebecca possessed was wholly different from his own, which was merely a hard shell.
Once his shell cracked, only a weak core would remain—never the unshakable strength she had.
Before knocking on the front door, Julian took a deep breath.
His throat stiffened with nerves, and he rolled his neck from side to side to loosen it.
He didn’t want to look like a boy who had never known a kind family.
He had armed himself with fine clothes and carried expensive gifts like weapons in both hands.
“Welcome, Your Grace!”
Before he could even knock, the door burst open.
Danae greeted him with a bright smile.
Julian gave an awkward smile and shook the paper bag filled with gifts.
“Greetings to Your Grace.”
Helena and Livia lifted their skirts slightly and gave a proper curtsey.
Julian froze for a moment, unsure how to respond.
Normally, the twins would have rushed forward at the same time, snatching the gifts from his hands without a second thought.
But today, they treated him with stiff politeness, like they were meeting a stranger.
Julian’s face immediately went pale.
Did they decide to treat me awkwardly?
Did I make some mistake the last time I came?
Countless thoughts rushed through his head.
But soon he noticed the twins trying hard to suppress mischievous smiles, and he relaxed.
Julian exaggerated his politeness in return.
“It is the highest honor to meet two ladies more beautiful than the stars in the night sky.”
Rebecca’s sisters burst into giggles.
At that, the tension around Julian’s lips loosened a little.
It didn’t feel strange. He didn’t look like an outsider.
It felt like he belonged here.
For a fleeting moment, he was glad Rebecca wasn’t present.
A clever Rebecca would have surely noticed how desperately he was trying to fit in with her family.
“Your Grace! Hearing you use honorifics is too weird.”
“Exactly! You’re only charming when you’re a little rude.”
“That’s right. Do you know how popular your bad manners are among your friends—?”
“Livia! Helena!”
Danae shouted in dismay, hands on her hips.
“You promised to behave politely today!”
“But Mother! It feels too uncomfortable. We’ll be polite outside, we promise. Okay?”
Julian stepped in to calm Danae.
“It’s all right. I actually prefer being spoken to this way—it feels more comfortable.”
Danae, embarrassed, covered her flushed cheeks with one hand.
“Still, they’ll be of age to debut in society next year, and I can’t help but worry.”
“They’ll do fine when the time comes. At home, their hearts should be at ease, don’t you think?”
“That does make sense.”
While Julian handed Danae the gifts, Helena tugged at his arm and pulled him toward the sofa.
“Your Grace, Livia and I practiced a song to perform for you. It’ll be better than last time!”
Livia sat before the piano with a solemn expression.
Soon a clear piano melody flowed out, and Helena began to sing.
It was far too unpolished to be called a talent, but to Julian it sounded lovely.
From the look in Danae’s eyes as she watched her daughters, and from Theo’s face—leaning against the kitchen door with flour on his hands, humming along—an unbelievable harmony poured out.
Sitting in the middle of it, Julian felt both awkward and uneasy.
And yet, he wanted desperately to remain there.
He imagined Rebecca hearing the song, descending the stairs, sitting beside him.
He imagined her leaning on his shoulder, exchanging smiles, helping him finally blend completely into this family.
When the performance ended, applause filled the room.
Helena bowed politely to the audience.
Livia sighed.
“It would be nice if Becky were here too.”
At that, Danae glanced quickly at Julian’s face.
A shadow briefly crossed it, then vanished.
“How is Rebecca today?”
“She’s much better. No more fever. But the blisters still haven’t healed.”
“That’s a relief, at least.”
“Um… Your Grace. Would you like to hear her voice, at least?”
“No!”
Theo rushed out of the kitchen at once, the smell of butter trailing behind him.
“Danae, you promised no one would meet her until she wanted it.”
“But it feels wrong to turn him away every time he visits.”
“Even so, no. I’m sorry, Your Grace. I don’t object to your visits, but I cannot allow anyone to force on her what she does not want. Not even you.”
Julian looked into Theo’s cold eyes, then slowly studied his thick honey-golden hair, the same shade as Rebecca’s.
Ah, what a warm rejection this was.
Julian gave a quiet smile and nodded.
“It’s all right. I wouldn’t want that either.”
Relief softened Theo’s expression, though he looked awkward for having spoken so harshly. He quickly retreated into the kitchen.
The noisy sound of meat sizzling soon followed.
Danae gazed toward where Theo had disappeared, her face heavy.
“He feels so guilty he can’t even speak to Rebecca. He blames himself for everything. Not that he’s entirely wrong… but please, don’t take it to heart.”
“I don’t. I find it beautiful.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s beautiful.”
His calm words carried a deep sorrow.
Seeing the tremble of his lips, Danae’s eyes widened in surprise.
But her thoughts were quickly interrupted by her daughters’ quarrel.
“Hey! That’s mine! Give it back now!”
“I said I’ll return it after looking at it for a second!”
“You already have a headband! Hand it over right now, Helena Obelia!”
Helena had snatched Livia’s hairpin—the gift Julian brought—and fled upstairs.
“Honestly! You girls—!”
Danae shot up, glaring, ready to chase them and scold them.
Julian chuckled and stopped her.
“It’s fine. They’re still children. Since I caused it, I’ll handle it.”
“But, Your Grace…”
Julian smiled gently, reassuring her.
The sight of his handsome face left Danae speechless for a moment before she sighed in resignation.
Julian carefully climbed the stairs.
The walls were lined with tapestries reflecting Danae’s taste.
The warm-colored quilted works seemed to be her own handiwork.
They were embroidered with Theo’s face and the mischievous twins.
At the top of the stairs, Julian paused.
A tapestry depicting a young girl caught his eye.
“Rebecca.”
He didn’t dare touch the worn fabric for fear of damaging it, only stared at it blankly.
Even in passing, it was clear—the girl in the blooming garden was Rebecca.
Kittens played at her feet, while a couple who looked like Danae and Theo watched her with tender eyes.
Sudden pain stole Julian’s breath.
Rebecca’s cold, hardened face when clutching the demon’s claw flashed before him.
She had once been a girl who smiled as brightly as if she had grown up only under spring sunlight.
But that girl had grown into a woman who hid her shredded heart behind a cold sneer.
Picturing the sharp shards of ice she must have walked barefoot upon in her past, Julian clenched his teeth so hard he could barely contain his rage.
Through his tightly pressed teeth, his wish slipped out: to make her happy.
Clack.
He heard the sudden sound of a door closing.
Turning, he saw a notebook placed outside a room.
Julian slowly approached and picked it up.
Inside were detailed notes of symptoms from the very first time she consumed the demon’s claw until now.
“Eustaf must be waiting impatiently.”
Her clear voice rang from beyond the door. Thankfully, it sounded untroubled.
Hearing her again after so long, Julian nearly burst the door open.
But Theo’s fierce gaze came to mind, and he restrained his hand.
As he read through the journal—even with detailed sketches of the blisters—he remembered Eustaf pleading just to see Rebecca’s symptoms once.
Just how far ahead does she see?
Fear crept into him—afraid he might never catch up to her foresight, only hinder her.
He traced her elegant handwriting with his fingers.
The words were written plainly, but she must have suffered terribly to endure such symptoms.
He frowned, imagining her bearing that pain alone in the count’s mansion.
Through Leo’s eyes, she had looked so weary.
Yet Rebecca hadn’t even admitted weakness to Leo.
It made him angry.
Why wouldn’t she lean on someone? Just once, she could have shouted at him that she was in pain.
She had every right to.
But stubbornly, she swallowed all her suffering alone.
