The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 32

The Count’s circumstances (1)

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Huge thanks to rmhrpr for the kofis! (2/3)

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As Paula recently met the people around Vincent, she realised that his life was not as smooth as she had imagined. What you see in front of your eyes is not everything. At least Vincent’s life was like that. Despite being able to see, her path ahead was not necessarily free of obstacles.

 

Violet had been a frequent visitor to this mansion ever since. Sometimes Ethan accompanied her. Perhaps it was because they had formed a bond of sharing secrets. There was no hesitation in their visits, unlike before. Initially, their visits felt burdensome, but at some point, as they became familiar, they became a source of joy for Paula as well.

 

And the man, Lucas. She couldn’t see through his intentions of telling her that he had ‘blinded Vincent’. After that, whenever he looked at her, he smiled as if nothing had happened. Eventually, until the moment he left, his words remained a mystery.

 

And Vincent’s attitude toward Lucas was as calm as ever. So it was really not Lucas. What did Vincent know? What about Ethan? How much did he know? With her inexperienced mind, Paula couldn’t understand their relationship right away.

 

‘Well, what can a mere maid like me know? How can I possibly judge their lives?’

 

‘I can only understand a little more about Master’s attitude of doubting, wary, and turning away from people, and I don’t think I can do anything. Just because I felt a strange sense of crisis in their relationship did not mean I could interfere. I just need to do my job well.’

 

Needless curiosity only brings anger.

 

Paula was reminded once again of the purpose for which she was employed.

 

[I am sending it because it is so pretty.]

 

A letter with golden writing, enclosing a dried flower. It was a white flower petal that turned transparent when touched by sunlight. Paula gently shook it back and forth before placing it between the pages of her favourite book. Then, she looked up at the clear sky.

 

The mansion was quiet for the first time in a long time. The noisy days already felt like a dream.

 

“It is quiet.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Today she decided to read a book she hadn’t read before. The place was in front of the window of his room. On the day when the two of them had tea time, Vincent was stuck in his room again, as if the incident had remained as a nightmare. Instead of dragging Vincent out, Paula arranged a seat before the wide-open window.

 

“It’s quiet, so it’s a little lonely.”

 

“Not at all. I am comfortable alone.”

 

“You are so boring.”

 

“I hear it as a compliment.”

 

There was room for words to be accepted. There was a sense of serenity on his face that turned towards the window in response to her remarks. Paula looked at Vincent in that state.

 

‘What could you be thinking right now?’ 

 

Lately, Paula had been plagued by sudden questions. She used to simply think of him as a blind person with a foul temper, but recently realised that she knew very little about what was going on inside him.

 

She pretended not to be curious about him, but she was curious.

 

‘Just what are you thinking?’

 

“You have a sweet smell from before.”

 

“Sweet? Oh, I brought a pound cake for dessert today.”

 

Paula remembered the existence of a cake that she had forgotten for a moment. After the meal, she delivered an empty bowl, and the chef offered her a pound cake for dessert.

 

[“Since he was young, he liked sweet things.”]

 

The old man’s wrinkled face was stained with joy. Paula tilted her head at the yellow bread inside the transparent cover.

 

“Pound cake?”

 

Vincent rarely showed interest. Paula was a bit surprised by the quick response.

 

“Do you like sweets?”

 

“A little.”

 

Then he quickly groped around with his hand. Thanks to recent practice, the movement was pretty natural, but he couldn’t fool her eyes.

 

‘You really like sweets.’ 

 

It was surprising that he had a salty face and a sugar appetite.

 

Removing the transparent cover, she placed a piece of cake that had been cut in advance on a small plate and held it out to him. When she gave him a fork, he felt the end of the plate with his hand and dipped it in the cake with the fork.

 

However, the cake, which was vaguely stamped, suddenly slipped out of the fork. Vincent, who put it in his mouth without knowing it was an empty fork, wondered and smoothed his lips. Then he lowered the fork again and wasted it on the far side of the plate, not on the plate. Paula thought it would take another day if he ate it like that, so she just held the cake in her hand.

 

Vincent seemed to make a slight impression, but he put it in his mouth right away. Chewing is really good. He quickly ate a piece and reached out again. When she offered him another freshly cut piece, he obediently accepted and ate it.

 

Watching him eat made me curious about the taste. So Paula took a piece and put it in her mouth. The sweetness tickled her tongue. It was really sweet. No, it was too sweet. But it was good. It was her first time eating something this delicious.

 

‘There is a bread like this in the world.’ 

 

Silently admiring the chef’s exceptional skills, Paula secretly took one piece of pound cake after another and put them in her mouth without Vincent’s knowledge. As the two of them indulged, the plate filled with small slices of pound cake quickly emptied.

 

“Turn around.”

 

“Yes?”

 

He took the last remaining piece, put it in his mouth and tapped the window frame.

 

Oh.

 

Paula touched the back of her head. The long string was blown by the wind, hitting the window frame. It was a weak sound but must have been clear to him.

 

“The ribbon that tied my hair was a bit long, so it must have hit the window frame.”

 

“It isn’t what you normally use, right?”

 

“Yes. It’s different. Miss Violet gave it to me as a gift.”

 

A few days ago, Violet gave Paula a box with a ribbon as a present. When she opened the lid, there was a pure white hair tie with round edges and embroidered flower patterns at the end. The texture was soft, but it was an expensive item. So when Paula refused, saying she couldn’t accept something like this, Violet held the hair tie tightly in her hand, telling her not to hesitate.

 

[“I was bothered by the fact that when Paula made the bouquet the other day, she used a hair tie. Paula’s advice gave me courage. It’s a gift that I’m so grateful for, so feel free to accept it.”]

 

Even back then, Paula received a small bouquet of flowers as a gift. Unfortunately, the bouquet in the vase in the room withered within a few days, but this was a gift that could be cherished for a long time. Moreover, a peculiar sense of pressure was hidden behind that kind face. Eventually, after expressing gratitude and accepting the gift, Violet personally tied Paula’s hair with a ribbon. It seemed she understood Paula’s intention to keep it in a box for safekeeping.

 

“That would be nice.”

 

“It’s nice, but it’s also a bit burdensome. She has given me something so beautiful that I’m unsure I can reciprocate.”

 

It was the first time Paula had ever seen such an expensive and feminine item, so she was cautious about even touching it.

 

‘It doesn’t suit me at all.’ 

 

Out of embarrassment, Paula fumbled with her hair tie for no reason, and quickly let it go, fearing that even that would wear out.

 

Then Vincent wrapped his arms around the ribbon blowing in the wind. It was as if he was trying to figure out what it would look like to fiddle with the ribbon with his hand outstretched.

 

While he was touching the ribbon, he spat out his feelings.

 

“It will suit you well.”

 

“No…”

 

Paula stopped when she tried to shake her hands, saying it was so pretty that it didn’t suit her. Recalling the face of an insolent maid in her head, she swallowed the rebuttal into her mouth.

 

“Your beauty will shine through.”

 

“Where did you hear that?”

 

“Violet used to say that often.”

 

He said it as if he had made a joke. Paula laughed briefly and wiped her hands on her apron. Her heart throbbed. She didn’t want to prolong this topic for long.

 

He ran his hand over the cake plate and looked puzzled.

 

“Why is it empty already?”

 

“I will finish reading the book.”

 

Paula pretended not to know and read the book. Vincent tilted his head and drank his tea instead. She glanced at him and read the book. The voice came out quite smoothly.

 

“You read pretty well now.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

‘Compliments always feel good.’ Paula smiled and read the rest of it.

 

“I guess you really like books.”

 

“Oh, does it look like that?”

 

“Because you read it happily every time. I don’t know what to do because I’m having fun.”

 

“Yes, I like it. Did I tell you I worked in a bookstore as a child?”

 

“You did. The day you first offered to read me a book.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. Back then, Master told me that the bookstore owner had made me believe I was a delusional patient when I was young. Do you remember?”

 

“Well. I remember you forcibly started doing this, pretending to be for me to serve your own self-interest.”

 

“You have an excellent memory.”

 

“Do you remember when you first threw things at me and yelled at me to leave?” Paula retorted sarcastically.

 

“And then you forced food into my mouth. Do you recall accusing me of bad odour because I hadn’t showered, only to throw me into the bathtub, saying you’d wash me? I remember all of it.”

 

Paula laughed heartily.

 

“It’s an honour to remember all the memories with you like this.”

 

Vincent smiled back at her.

 

“Me, too.”

 

A moment of awkward laughter echoed.

 

“At that time, Master said I should not read books again. So, what do you think? Reading is enjoyable after all, isn’t it?”

 

“Well, I think it would be even better if you read with more enthusiasm.”

 

“It’s a pity that I only have one voice.”

 

“Keep practising. You never know if another hidden personality within you might emerge.”

 

“Thank you for the advice.”

 

Louder laughter rang out than just before.

 

“It would be even better if you didn’t sneakily devour the cake like a little mouse. Just saying.”

 

“…”

 

The upward curve of Paula’s lips drooped.

 

‘How did he even know that?’

 

“How much did I eat…? We could have shared it together… It was just a small piece…”

 

Paula muttered softly as she pressed her face against the last remaining pages of the book. Vincent continued to gaze out the window, pretending not to hear her words. The breeze gently blew. His hand still lightly touched the edge of her hair ribbon, swaying in the wind.

 

“Do you really enjoy this kind of life?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Paula glanced up briefly and looked at him beyond the book. Vincent was still gazing out the window.

 

“I am asking if you are satisfied with this secluded life in the mansion, dependent on the generosity?”

 

“Why are you asking such a question?”

 

“Because I haven’t heard you talk about your family. Usually, when people come to a place like this, they long for their hometown. It’s like homesickness.”

 

‘Family.’

 

Forgotten emotions surged within her.

 

Paula struggled to suppress them from bubbling up.

 

She rolled her eyes playfully and then lowered them.

 

‘No need for that. It’s good that he can’t see. There’s no need to hide it.’

 

Pretending to be nonchalant was easy. She had done it every time.

 

“Yes, I’m satisfied.”

 

“Don’t you want to go back home?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“Why?”

 

Why indeed.

 

Just because they’re family doesn’t mean you must long for each other. The image of the devilish creature that haunted Paula in her dreams every night flashed before her eyes.

 

“There’s no reason for me to go back.”

 

“…”

 

Vincent turned his head towards Paula. She averted her gaze, touching the empty plate with only crumbs left. She cleared her mind of unnecessary memories, thinking she should ask for more next time.

 

“You mentioned having siblings.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How many?”

 

“Four. Five, including me.”

 

Paula gave a vague answer while twirling the empty plate. It was an uncomfortable topic, and she didn’t want to dwell on it deeply. She wanted to conclude the conversation quickly, so she answered only the direct questions and refrained from adding unnecessary explanations.

 

“I remember you mentioned your younger sister before. You said she was the secondborn, right?”

 

“Yes, that’s correct. But why are you asking about this?”

 

“I’m just curious. Sorry if it’s awkward.”

 

Paula forced a smile as he added the last part.

 

Vincent raised his chin and looked at her.

 

His other hand still lightly touched her hair ribbon.

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