The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 26

Tea time with the Count (7)

***

“What the hell were you talking about?”

A voice of suppressing anger came out violently. He was silent because he had nothing to say. He gave a short, empty laugh.

“It’s all over now.”

“Miss Violet might understand.”

“Understand? Understand what? How would you understand that your fiancé has become a blind idiot? How do you understand that? If you get married later, you will have to wait on your husband for the rest of your life.”

“…”

It was so true that Paula shut her mouth again. She didn’t mean to, but she was the one who set the fire for this to happen.

A heavy silence fell in the room. Vincent wiped his face, and Ethan seemed lost in thought for a moment. In the meantime, she only looked at them.

“Get out.”

“Vincent, calm down.”

“You get out, too.”

Ethan let out a sigh.

“Why are you so frustrated? Shouldn’t we figure out a way? What difference would it make to kick us out right away?”

“…”

“What do you think is difficult? You just need to meet.”

Vincent made a face of ‘What nonsense this is.’ Paula also participated in it. Ethan calmly explained while receiving their gaze.

“What? Would it be difficult? Just pretend to look like before.”

“I didn’t see anything then as I do now.”

“Instead, it was at a level where only blurry shapes could be seen. It looked like a ball of light, you said. But we only talked well. You’ve figured out what you want and what you’re up to. The other person didn’t know you couldn’t see him. You’re always good at that. Acting like it’s okay on the outside.”

“So?”

“Let’s act like we used to.”

Ethan clapped his hands together. His smile was as bright as usual.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Honestly, that’s the only way.”

Ethan shrugged his shoulders. Vincent narrowed his eyes, but this time he didn’t argue and only sighed. Having no way of knowing what the ‘before’ Ethan was talking about, Paula looked at only those two people alternately.

“Did you do that on purpose just now?”

“Yes.”

The answer came right back to the little whispered question. Ethan, who said he deliberately accused her of her mistakes, was so shameless. Could it be that he was trying to make it flow like this? Paula wanted to find out what Ethan was thinking, but gave up because he was the most inscrutable person she had ever met. Ethan just laughed.

“I get hated as well. We seem to have a good working relationship, Madam.”

‘No. You are just a person who is happy to bully someone. No, why are you all doing this to me? What did I do so wrong? It’s so hard to work as a maid, really.’

“I’m afraid I’ll give up.”

“Hey, don’t say things like that. I just got to know Madam, and I’m sad.”

“Why? You are doing this alone. I am not doing it.”

Paula shook her head resolutely and took a step to the side. Ethan glanced at her and then came as far as she had left. She took another step to the side, and he took another step. Then she took another step to the side and he took another step. Suddenly, a futile scuffle ensued.

Eventually, Paula stopped walking.

“Thank you anyway. Thank you for helping me.”

To be honest, if he hadn’t come forward and given it to her, she would have looked like a criminal in front of Vincent. In that sense, she was grateful. Then Ethan shrugged his shoulders.

“It was nothing.”

The light attitude seemed rather a consideration to ease her burden. Maybe he was a better person than she thought?

“By the way, Madam. May I ask you something?”

“Yes, please.”

“Are your bangs like that on purpose?” he asked, pointing to the hair that covered more than half of Paula’s face. She instinctively grabbed her bangs. It was her intention not to show her face.

“You have a pretty face, but it’s a pity.”

“You are good at jokes.”

“I am serious.”

“Really? Really? Even if it’s a lie, you wouldn’t say otherwise.”

As she rolled her eyes from side to side for a moment, he gently covered his mouth with his hand.

“I meant inner beauty.”

“You just said face.”

“The inside of the face.”

“Thank you for the empty words.”

‘Cancel what I just said. He is someone who can’t be serious at all!’

Paula glued her bangs tighter to her face and nodded. Then, she approached Vincent, who was ready. Vincent had a pretty nervous face. Just like the time he was told to take a step out of the room.

“Why are you acting like a coward? Aren’t you sure? Count Bellunita’s confidence has become as small as bird poop after being confined to his room.”

“Shut up.”

“So let’s do it. Let’s meet Violet and have a few conversations, and let’s reassure her and send her back. I’ll direct it, and your handmaid will prepare it. All you have to do is act. Let’s make a perfect play. What do you think?”

While poking at the other person’s ego, Ethan quietly led them in the direction he wanted. In that sense, Ethan was good at coaxing Vincent. And even though Vincent knew that, he never refuted it. There was positivity in the silence.

The result was the current situation.

Now, this was a reception room, a short distance from his room, and can be said to be the stage for a play. Directed by Ethan, prepared by Paula, and acted by Vincent.

The contents of the play were as follows.

Vincent plans to call Violet to this drawing room. There, while Vincent sits on the sofa first and waits, Violet comes in and sits across from him. Then Vincent brings up a conversation he had prepared in advance. It is important to keep the conversation short. How to catch the tail if it is long. So, after a brief conversation with Violet, he has to leave the room first with the excuse that he’s tired. When he comes out, Paula quickly takes him to the room and it’s over. Of course, Ethan intends to help him too.

“Now, the important thing is eye contact. You have to instil the idea that ‘I’m looking at you’.”

“I know.”

“Master, don’t worry. If you make good eye contact, we wouldn’t think of you being blind. When you throw things and have a temper, I sometimes forget that you cannot see.”

“…”

“Oh my, your temper must have been such that Madam even forgot that you were blind. And why throw things? It’s dangerous. You are really mean. Don’t call yourself a gentleman anywhere.”

Ethan clicked his tongue. Paula blinked at him not to. Vincent looked around. She thought Ethan was going to show him what it meant to be not a gentleman, so she hurriedly grabbed his hand.

“First of all, I will tell you where the teacup is. If you keep your back straight and your upper body slightly bent, the end of the table will touch your palm. Like this.”

She put his palms on the edge of the table.

“And if you spread your fingers in that state, the teacup will touch it right away.”

As she said, he opened his fingers and the cup touched his fingertips. He stretched out a little further and put his fingers on the handle. Then, the motion of lifting the teacup up and touching it to the mouth continued smoothly.

“You can fumble a little when you touch the table. Don’t stutter too noticeably.”

“If you feel like you only put your fingertips on it, it won’t stand out that much.”

“But again, don’t tap too much with your fingertips. It stands out more.”

“If you move a little, you’ll be fine.”

“Which sequence do you want me to follow?”

He frowned and set down his glass. The sound of the cup and saucer colliding was especially annoying. As the situation was serious, everything came sensitively.

Paula checked the location of the teacup, vase, and snacks. Put the vase in the middle, and the teacup would be better here to match the distance when he leans down. Place the sweets in a location that is neither too far nor too close to the teacup.

“Now let’s look at each other. Madam, come this way.”

Ethan gestured toward Paula. She was puzzled and approached him. He sat her down on the sofa across from Vincent. It was a position where she could see Vincent head-on.

“Vincent, look this way.”

“Where are you talking?”

“It’s the front. I put the sofa in front of you, master. Miss Violet will be sitting there.”

Vincent turned his head to follow Paula’s voice. Although he was vaguely directed, his eyes are wandering here and there. He didn’t seem to know where to put his eyes. Paula jumped up, grabbed his face, and met his gaze.

“Like this.”

When she grabbed his face, he flinched in surprise. Then, at her voice, he narrowed his eyebrows. She didn’t care and pointed to her face.

“You can just look at the front like this.”

She let go of his hand slightly. His eyes were still looking elsewhere.

“Please look this way.”

As if responding to her words, the emerald eyes that had flickered gradually moved. Hesitantly, his eyes met her eyes.

‘He is looking at me.’

In an instant, Paula’s heart sank.

With their eyes so close, it seemed like he was really looking at her. The slightly muddy emerald-coloured eyes gave off a different colour, and the illusion that he was looking at her face in them.

Paula took a backward step without realizing it.

***