The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 14

“Why?”

 

“Only designated people can enter the annex. Even then, you can only go to the area assigned to you at a certain time. If someone doesn’t use the time allotted to them or if an employee without permission sets foot in the annex, their head will be blown off.”

 

Paula had no idea. She didn’t see any other people except for some exceptions, but she didn’t know that access was restricted.

 

Was it because of Vincent’s condition…?

 

She wasn’t warned to not go anywhere.

 

She guessed it was okay because she was his attendant.

 

“It’s a shame, though.”

 

Renica smacked her lips as if she was really disappointed.

 

“If you would like to send a letter, please let me know. I will give it to him instead.”

 

“Ahaha. Thank you.”

 

Paula said goodbye to Renica and went down to the dining hall for breakfast.

 

Originally, servants were not supposed to use it, but no one used it anyway. Vincent didn’t want to go out of his room, so she settled for giving his meal to him in his room, and there was no one else who was allowed to come except her. No, she didn’t even know if there was anyone else in this mansion. Because she had never seen them properly. That question was answered a while ago.

 

Anyway, there was no one to catch her, so she used it comfortably.

 

But there was a person today. A guest, who had come early in the morning.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s all right. Sit down.”

 

He looked at the potatoes in her hand and motioned for her to sit across from him. But that couldn’t be the case. Not eating in the same place with a guest was something Isabella taught her to respect. Besides, she needed a break alone. When you are with a crappy master, you lose strength, even if you are only with them for a short time.

 

She bowed down.

 

“No, you can eat comfortably.”

 

“Don’t go. I was embarrassed to eat alone, but I’d be happy if you could join me.”

 

But the guest was clingy.

 

Paula shook her head firmly.

 

“I can’t do that. And please eat comfortably.”

 

“It’s because I’m basically adhered to being polite to women.”

 

Ethan smiled affectionately and beckoned the opposite side again. That was a very good mindset. Paula shook her head from side to side in admiration.

 

“That’s all right. I’ll be on my way.”

 

“Are you going to leave me alone?”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re letting me eat alone like this. Oh, I can’t. I can’t eat the food because I have to eat it alone. I can’t eat it.”

 

At last, he laid down the spoon and showed disappointment.

 

“I’m losing my appetite.”

 

After mumbling, she finally sat quietly across from him. Only then did Ethan smile satisfactorily and picked up the spoon again, scooping up some soup. He was sly, too. Vincent and Ethan had such opposite personalities that she wondered how the hell they became friends.

 

Paula also took a bite after peeling the potato. Potatoes were also delicious here. However, with an uncomfortable companion, she didn’t know if the potato would go into the nose or mouth.

 

“The taste of the food changes when we eat together.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

She answered roughly and stared at the door. She was wondering if Isabella or other servants who were here but had never seen her would come in. Or the cook might come in while passing by. It was a place where there wasn’t any sign.

 

Eating potatoes with her nerves on edge only made her feel bloated.

 

“What about Vincent? He looked very angry.”

 

“He is not exactly angry.”

 

“But he threw things.”

 

“It’s always like that.”

 

“Is that so? That’s dangerous.”

 

‘Yes, thanks to him, I get hurt a lot.’

 

Still, when she thought of the atrocities he did at the beginning, he had been quiet recently. The number of tantrums has decreased a little because of whatever change of heart that had occurred. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t throw things. It was just that three times have changed to two times, and the hard throws have changed to soft ones.

 

Paula was putting a potato in her mouth, and suddenly there was silence. When the words were cut off vaguely, she cast a glance at the door. Ethan was hesitating, his mouth clenched.

 

When she looked at him, wondering why, he continued again.

 

“Do you know that, Madam? I mean, Vincent’s current state.”

 

“…”

 

Paula immediately closed her mouth and gulped down a lump of potatoes. From his tense eyes, she recognized the meaning of ‘Vincent’s present condition’ that he just mentioned. She was hired to serve the blind master from the beginning.

 

Ethan also knew Vincent’s current condition. She didn’t know what he meant to ask because he had already known, but she didn’t know if she could pretend to know, so she was silent.

 

Ethan smiled bitterly as if he had judged her silence as positive.

 

“Recently, I often hear that Count Bellunita is secretly looking for servants. There are even strange rumors going around that people keep quitting if the owner is so evil.”

 

While listening to his words, Paula unconsciously nodded her head.

 

‘Evil, you’re right.’

 

Looking at Ethan, she smiled mischievously.

 

“Vincent must be bothering the maid a lot.”

 

“No, he is kind.”

 

“I heard from you he throws things often.”

 

“Did he? That was a slip of the tongue. I’m sorry.”

 

“Oh no, you’re even protecting your owner. You’re a very nice person.”

 

“…”

 

Paula decided to just shut up and stuck her nose in the potato. But he even leaned on his chin and looked at her.

 

“How did you get hired? Did you come here yourself?”

 

“The butler hired me.”

 

Technically, she had been sold, but she didn’t need to add that explanation. Ethan nodded as if he knew who the butler here was.

 

“Vincent is tenacious, right? Once he decides something, no one can stop him.”

 

“…”

 

Don’t be fooled.

 

It’s a trap.

 

“In addition, if you disagree with his opinion, he will show how much he hates it. You don’t have to wrinkle your forehead and make a hard face. Even if he’s calm, he always turns his insides upside down once in a while.”

 

“…”

 

‘Don’t be fooled.’ 

 

‘Let it go.’

 

“In the common people’s words, what was it called? Stubborn? What do you say?”

 

“Stubborn.”

 

“That’s right, that one. It’s right, right?

 

She couldn’t bear to refute that, so she affirmed it in silence. Ethan chuckled.

 

“It was a good time, though…”

 

The smile gradually disappeared, leaving only bitterness on his face. He looked out the window.

 

White clouds floated over the blue sky.

 

“I couldn’t believe it, but it wasn’t like that at first. He couldn’t leave the mansion, but he did his work, occasionally took a walk in the garden, and often laughed.”

 

She had already heard of it, and she knew it. Though she couldn’t imagine Vincent taking a garden walk or doing his work. Especially smiling, she couldn’t imagine it even more. Vincent Bellunita, whom she saw, was a man who crouched and trembled in fear in a room on a sheet on a bed. He was all she knew about, who was afraid to eat, take a step on the floor, or even breathe.

 

“Suddenly, a few months ago, my letters stopped receiving responses, I contacted him, but he didn’t answer, and I sent people, but they didn’t meet him. I came here because I was worried about his condition, but now I know why.”

 

Smiling bitterly, she had nothing to say. She couldn’t even bring up words of consolation easily. It was not an easy situation. Besides, she wasn’t a good talker. Of course, he wouldn’t expect the consolation of a maid to ease his worries.

 

So this was her own sincerity.

 

“Don’t worry too much. The master is trying, too.”

 

His suspicious gaze reached her.

 

She said, peeling off the peels of the potatoes that were left.

 

“You’re living in darkness all of a sudden. How scary must that be? It would feel like being left alone in the world. If it were me, I would want to die. You never know who to trust and who to be wary of.”

 

Not to mention, even if someone threw a fist at him, he couldn’t escape. Because he couldn’t see. Things that are nothing to others come as a fear to him. Furthermore, he couldn’t even run away if someone were to stab him.

 

He doesn’t know when death will come, even though it’s just around the corner.

 

How awful it must be.

 

Vincent, who was trembling during a nightmare last night, came to her mind. He was fighting the fear, saying that his life had failed. She thought about what it would be like if it were her. The conclusion was the same. If it were her, she wouldn’t be shivering in one place.

 

“But the master is not dead. If someone tries to touch him, he’s scared to the point of convulsions, but he is still trying to live. He is fighting.”

 

Of course, it was not that he didn’t want to die. He hated being touched, didn’t eat, didn’t go out, was only curled up in bed, and was waiting for death. At least, in her eyes, he was.

However, he would have struggled to live at the time when he lost his sight and went about his daily life as before. Even now, a bite of his tongue could kill him. But he didn’t. He had the desire to live. That alone made her think he was making a big effort.

 

“Rather than consoling him this way, please just support him from the bottom of your heart. Sometimes silence can be better than comfort. Sir Christopher is not the master. It doesn’t make sense for Sir Christopher to understand other people’s pain. How can others know the master’s pain? It’s not like they are going through it with him, together.”

 

‘I’m just me, after all.’

 

Last time Vincent said something similar. She also agreed. Understanding other people’s pain was the barking of a dog. She couldn’t be Vincent. As long as she didn’t become blind in an unfortunate accident, any comfort to Vincent will feel like pain. It was the same with the man in front of her.

 

“Please wait for him. So that the master can win.”

 

“…”

 

There was a moment of silence. There was no answer in return. Ethan didn’t say anything until she cleaned up the potato peels and cleaned her hands. Eventually, when she looked up in wonder, Ethan was looking at her with a strange face.

 

‘Why are you looking at me like that? Did I make a slip of the tongue?’

 

“Is there anything wrong?”

 

“Madam is very…”

 

‘Oh, what?’

 

“You’re honest.”

 

“What?”

 

“Should I say cold-hearted? But you also have a determined side. You don’t look like it from the outside, but you are sweeter than I thought.”

 

Was it a compliment or a complaint?

 

Paula frowned at the incomprehensible words.

 

Ethan seemed to think for a moment, and then spoke again.

 

“I can’t wait any longer. I have something to tell him.”

 

“If it’s something important, can I pass it to him instead?”

 

“That’s nice too, but I think it’ll be effective if I tell them to him directly.”

 

He smiled and gently declined.

 

“That’s why I want to go into the room.”

 

“You can enter only if the master allows you to.”

 

“How can it not be done with the help of his maid?”

***