The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 10

Paula had no choice but to use the central staircase again because the number of books piled was high enough to cover her eyes. The user had to use the stairs at the back of the mansion, but if anyone saw her, she would be punished, so she walked quickly.

 

“Master, I’ll read it again.”

 

“It’s been a long time since you just went to the library.”

 

“I chose carefully. I hope you enjoy listening to it this time.”

 

And she opened the book she had brought.

 

“Once upon a time, there lived a happy little pig. The happy little pig was so happy to spend each day-”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“What? What are you talking about?”

 

When asked, pretending not to know, she made an innocent expression.

 

“It’s a fairy tale book.”

 

“Yes. It’s a fairy tale book.”

 

“Are you sure you want to read it?”

 

“I think a fairy tale book would be perfect for you right now.”

 

“What?”

 

“I decided that the most important thing was to tell a fairy tale that tells a heart-warming story about caring for a grumpy owner so that he can gain peace of mind.”

 

Vincent put on an absurd expression. Paula casually looked down at the storybook.

 

“If you want anything, please tell me. From the happy little pig story to the little girl on an errand, the friendship between a boy and a fairy who gives anything, the mysterious adventure of a brother and sister, and the love and peace of the bluebird. Any story is ready. I prepared several books because you said you don’t read books that you have already read. Please choose according to your taste.”

 

She was sure he hadn’t read a book on these. Having said that, he shut his mouth. Veins popped on the back of the hand that was gripping it as if it was about to tear the sheet apart.

 

“If you don’t want anything, I’ll keep reading the story of the happy little pig. You wouldn’t be able to listen to even the shortest part, would you? I don’t think you’ll be that impatient, but if you still find it hard to listen, please tell me.”

 

She spat out words to prevent him from interrupting her and quickly started reading a children’s book. Maybe her words worked, this time, he was quiet. She seemed to have stopped breathing and was a little nervous, but fortunately, she could read the storybook to the end.

 

Of course, he threw the next children’s book away.

 

* * *

 

Since then, Paula has continued to read to him. It was, of course, a fairy tale book. He said no, but she just read it. With this as an excuse, she wanted to read several books.

 

It’s been a long time since she read a book. The bookstore where she worked as a child was forced to close due to the old owner’s illness. He apologized to her and gave her a few books as a gift. Most of them were fairy tales.

 

However, the children’s books fell into Alicia’s hands. Because of Alicia’s personality, who covets and sees what Paula has and has no interest in reading books, they were torn apart when they came back to Paula’s hand, and she couldn’t even recognize the shape. The torn books ended up being used as firewood.

 

It was difficult to access the books after that. Paula saved money several times and stopped when her father caught her. Buying books was also a luxury for the daughter of a poor peasant. She stopped reading when she discovered that she would be better off buying a day’s worth of food with the money.

 

Maybe it was because she hadn’t read books for so long, so she was delighted to be able to hold these books in her hand, except for the current situation.

 

“Is that all you can read?”

 

“What are you dissatisfied with?”

 

“Everything. I’m unhappy with everything about it.”

 

Again, again.

 

Maybe it was because of reading a fairy tale. Paula kept getting annoyed. In fact, she wanted to read another book, but he didn’t listen to it properly, and it felt harder to read it to someone than she thought. So, knowing he didn’t like it, Paula had no choice but to pick up the children’s book again.

 

When she sighed, he got annoyed and wondered why she sighed. He also found out for the first time that she was such a good sigher.

 

“If you’re going to read it, learn how to breathe first.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Get out. I don’t want to hear more.”

 

In the end, Paula was kicked out with a book that couldn’t even turn three pages. Anyway, she bought it and struggled with reading while being with Vincent, but it was okay.

 

Thanks to this, when she returned to her room after finishing her work, she fell asleep like she fainted every time. The fatigue of the day brought her to sleep. However, she couldn’t sleep deeply because she had a lot of worries. Because of that, her light sleep became lighter.

 

In the room right next door, she also heard the sound of something banging on the wall.

 

It was pretty loud. Also, it was coming from the master’s room.

 

Startled, she ran to the next room.

 

She opened the door and entered the dark room. She looked straight at the bed and saw a round figure crouched against the wall.

 

‘Master?’

 

As she approached, the figure trembled, but there was no reaction.

 

“Where are you?”

 

“…”

 

“Master.”

 

“…”

 

“Master?”

 

“…Who is it.”

 

There was no power in the muffled voice.

 

“It’s me. What are you doing?”

 

“I had a dream.”

 

“Are you dreaming? What is your dream?”

 

“A terrifying dream.”

 

‘Oh, you had a nightmare. I do that often too, so I know how it feels.’

 

But Paula looked around to see what the loud noise she heard a while ago was, but there was nothing that could make a loud sound. She wondered if he had thrown anything as usual, but there was no sign.

 

It was dark at night, so it was difficult to understand the details. Vincent also had a sheet over his face, so she couldn’t check his condition. His hand, which was holding his sheet, was trembling slightly.

 

“What dream did you have?”

 

“I don’t know. I do not remember.”

 

It was a calm voice, but what was buried in it was a deep fear. She knew from Isabella that he couldn’t sleep properly. And that the painful moans heard in the night were his. But he hadn’t shown her that.

 

What were his nightmares?

 

She knew it without even thinking about it. It must be a terrible, terrifying dream.

 

“It’s just a dream. Good night.”

 

“I can’t sleep because I think I’m going to dream again.”

 

“Can I hold your hand?”

 

“Put it away.”

 

This time, he shuddered as if he had heard a terrible sound in a different sense. Paula frowned slightly and sighed secretly.

 

‘Seeing you do that, you’re fine.’

 

“Can I stay by your side until you calm down?”

 

“…”

 

There was no such answer. After thinking for a while, she sat on the bottom of the bed. The round shape trembled at the noise she made while sitting but didn’t shout to get out.

 

Once Paula sat down, she had nothing to say. She bent her knee and pressed it to her chest, wiggling her fingers for nothing. He also had no words. Instead, she could hear the sound of sharp breathing. As she listened to the sound gradually calming down, she guessed his condition.

 

She continued to wiggle her hand, and the light suddenly narrowed at her hand. As she lifted her head, the moonlight that came in through the gap in the curtains fell on the floor. Her gaze passed through the light and set on the pale yellow moon, as she glimpsed out the window.

 

The only light illuminated the darkness was beautiful enough to take her eyes toward it.

 

Pretty.

 

If you reach out your hand to it, you will feel it.

 

The warmth.

 

However, how much she stretched out her hand, it was absurd to grab the moon.

 

Knowing that, she reached out to the light.

 

It was quiet.

 

It was calm.

 

It was peaceful.

 

She had never felt so peaceful in her life.

 

“When I was young, my brother often had nightmares.”

 

So she unknowingly bit her mouth. Perhaps the silence was burdensome.

 

Suddenly, the sound of breathing stopped. But he didn’t stop her.

 

“It was the second time, and after he had a nightmare, I woke up to my brother crying.”

 

The second one was an innocent child. Unlike her, his face was pretty, and he always had a pretty smile and used to follow her, calling her all the time.

 

She felt sorry for such a younger brother at the same time. He was a good boy, but poverty was poison. Her father used to look at the young and pretty second child, thinking about how to use him.

 

And even though he was young, his younger brother couldn’t sleep because he knew how he was doing. He often woke her up crying while tossing and turning, perhaps having nightmares every time. Then she held her younger brother in her arms and patted him on the back even when she was half-asleep. And he held her hands.

 

Just like right now.

 

She put her hand on the only one that stuck out of the sheet. She could feel the tingling sensation at the sudden touch. The body temperature in his hand was cold, and she grabbed it tightly.

 

“Every time that happened, I held my brother’s hand like this. Then my brother would be relieved and go back to sleep.”

 

Her brother held her hand tightly and closed his eyes. With tears in his eyes, her younger brother used to fall asleep, relying solely on the warmth of her hand. She patted the back of his hand as if to comfort the younger one as he shared his fear with her.

 

“And I said, dreams are just dreams anyway, you don’t have to be afraid, I’m here. This moment with me is real.”

 

But now that she thought about it, that wasn’t a good thing either. Because the reality was more like hell. Still, her good brother nodded his head and dug into her arms.

 

Until the day before it was sold to a brothel.

 

“They usually tell you to leave your dreams behind. Whether something that has already happened or something you’re afraid of will happen, just dismiss it as a meaningless dream. If you can’t dismiss it that way, you can overcome what has already happened and try not to let the things you fear happen.”

 

Then she shut her mouth tight. This was more like a dream.

 

The reality was not a fairy tale. It wasn’t as beautiful, and she couldn’t even venture into mystical adventures. At least, that’s how her life was.

 

She couldn’t make any courageous choices like the protagonist in the story. So, even at the moment when the second child was sold to a brothel, she could not help her younger brother. She couldn’t even show the miracle of grabbing her brother’s trembling hand and running away with him.

 

Even though she knew that her kind and pretty little brother was going to be sold to a brothel… He turned away from his smiling brother.

 

“It’s okay, sister. I’m fine.”

 

The kind and beautiful little brother instead comforted her ugly older sister. She missed her brother, who had left, and she could only wish him happiness earnestly.

 

And the following year, he passed away. He was said to have been in an accident. But in reality, he was killed. Her younger brother looked miserable when she saw him for the last time. His whole body was swollen, especially between the crotch, and it was terrible to see. She couldn’t even recognize his face.

 

She buried the second child without her father’s knowledge. Would you call it a funeral? After the second was buried next to the place where the youngest was buried, a beautiful flower was picked and placed on it. And it wasn’t long ago that the fourth was there too.

 

Paula survived by turning a blind eye to her siblings’ deaths.

 

Such a bad girl…

 

“How can you do that?”

 

Paula woke up to the sudden sound. She still felt a tremor in her hand, but this time it was different.

***