The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 19

Ah, what a sly person.

I didn’t know then because I was talking to Madame DeJoue, but two water ghosts were sneaking up on me.

Two hands, dripping water, grabbed each of my wrists.

“Kyaaa!”

As if they didn’t hear my scream, Carol and Julien dragged me to the river.

“Hehehehe. Sharon, you have to hold your breath!”

What are these kids eating to be this strong?

I closed my eyes tightly before I was dropped into the river.

I’m screwed.

I can’t swim!

“Pfffft, pffft! Kyaaaaaah! Uh? Euaaagh!”

Fortunately, they dropped me in a shallow part of the river where my feet could reach the bottom.

I shook my head. I wouldn’t let this go. I stepped forward.

Then, my body slipped backwards.

“Huh? Sharon! It should be shallow there! K-kyaaaa!”

“Sharon!”

“Both of you, step back!”

It must have been a point where the water suddenly deepened. Looking at the air bubbles floating up from my mouth, I lost consciousness, and I sank below the surface of the water.

You’re all dead when I come out…

Ah… is this the end of my life?

***

“Did you take a good look?”

“Yes, Madame.”

“What kind of person do you think she is?”

”…She’s pretty.”

“Fuhuhuhu. Yes, Lady Sharon is pretty. But more importantly, she’s smart. She’s someone who can do a lot of things.”

Huran’s gaze returned to Sharon, who was being dragged away by Carol and Julien.

In reality, he wasn’t Madame DeJoue’s blood-related brother.

He was just someone who needed Madame DeJoue, and she was accepting him based on the circumstances. Whether it was Madame DeJoue or Sharon, their paths would not have crossed with Huran’s if he wasn’t the top law student at the Academy.

Huran couldn’t believe it when Madame DeJoue approached him, like a lucky break. He had just been about to quit his studies because of poverty when Madame DeJoue reached out her hand to him.

After thoroughly consulting his parents, he moved his name onto Madame DeJoue’s family register. [1]

And when Madame DeJoue ordered him to accompany her today, saying she would finally introduce Sharon to him, he had no way to hide his excitement.

Madame DeJoue had said:

‘It’s not me that brought you here, it’s Lady Sharon. She is the one who took you in. This kindness… you can’t return it with enmity. Do you understand?’

That was what she said.

She was his benefactor.

The Lady Sharon that he met today was beautiful. Her indifferent face, her smiling face, her zoning-out face.

He had been so nervous when Sharon looked at him.

Even though he knew she was 8 years old, she had ancient eyes.

Her youthful face covered her adult-like eyes.

But despite the gap, her smiling face was so lovely.

“You have to do well, Huran. You have to protect her.”

“Yes, Madame.”

It was then.

Suddenly, two screams came from the side of the river.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“My lady!”

Madame DeJoue and Huran’s eyes turned to the riverside.

Carol cried out to the place where white fingers were bobbing up and down in the water.

“Sharon!!!”

Without thinking about it, Huran threw himself into the river.

***

Light returned to the darkened world.

“Haa. Haa. Huff.”

A soft hand patted me on the back, as I coughed out water.

“Eugh… I really thought I was going to die.”

“I, I’m sorry! Sharon! Waaaah!”

“I did you wrong. I’m sorry, Sharon… Are you all right?”

The restless Carol and Julien sat in front of me.

However. You troublemakers.

I patted the children’s heads, who looked white and blue as if they were the ones who were hurt.

“I’m all right… you idiots.”

Unlike Carol, who cried very loudly, the Crown Prince calmly grasped my hand.

“You’re really all right?”

Actually, it seemed as if Julien was crying.

I resented this situation.

Julien had looked like a child for the first time, playful and happy. But now, that was gone. His bright smile ended, just like that.

“…I’m sorry…”

Julien continued apologizing without end.

I just squeezed his hands without a word.

It was a warm afternoon by the sunlit riverside, and Carol’s sobs were set in the background.

I smiled faintly, surrounded by people who were looking only at me.

I didn’t feel lonely.

The one who saved me was Huran. I thanked him and promised to treat him to a meal next time, but I ended up having to push back the promised day a little. As soon as I got home, my fever went up and I collapsed.

***

I was wandering in the dark.

All I can reach with my hands was darkness. I fell into the depths loneliness again.

Darkness was everywhere.

‘Nara Lee.’

It was my name.

It had been a long time since I heard my name!

‘Nara Lee!’

I must have missed it. My name and my life.

I listened carefully to the voice calling me.

I didn’t do anything so foolish as to run in the dark, as that wouldn’t get me anywhere.

‘Nara. Nara Lee.’

“I’m here!” I shouted, but I guess it couldn’t hear me. There was no answer.

‘Nara, Nara.’

I became used to the voice fondly repeating my name, but it was strange.

“You, who are you? I said I’m here!”

‘Nara, Nara Lee.’

Why is it calling me if it won’t answer?

I decided that it was better to just listen to the voice than to ask for an answer. I sat down and listened to the voice calling my name.

But I began to hear voices calling me, as if fighting against that initial voice.

‘Sharon!’

It was Carol. Her voice was wet, meaning that she was crying again. Why was she crying again?

‘Sharon, Sharon. Sharrroooon!’

What, did someone die? Really, why is she acting like this?

‘Nara. Nara Lee.’

Yes. I was here. This was driving me crazy.

‘Sharon!’

I didn’t know which name to respond to. Every time I reacted to the name Nara, Sharon’s name came up like a scream.

What am I supposed to do? Seriously, what am I supposed to do?

‘Sharon…’

Now, even the Crown Prince was calling to me. And in the dark, there was a strange sound.

Tok, tok, tok.

It sounded like tears.

Haa. Are they manipulating me with tears now?

When I felt my heart was moving toward the sound of tears, the voice calling ‘Nara Lee’ cut off. Like it was done now.

‘Sharon.’

Really… Why are you doing this to me?

I extended my hand to the sound of the falling tears. There was no particular reason.

It was because that voice was more desperate.

There is no guarantee that I would be able to return to being Nara Lee anyway. Besides, no one was looking for me…

I’ll hold the hand of the one who needs me.

And as soon as I opened my eyes, I completely forgot this dream.

***

I felt something cold being wiped across my forehead and opened my heavy eyelids.

“Oh, my. My lady, are you awake now?”

“…Yes.”

The cracking voice was a surprise to me, too.

I could feel the warm heat in the room, like that of a heated brazier.

Madame DeJoue raised a cup with warm water, honey, and lemon syrup to the edge of my mouth.

“You sound hoarse.”

It wasn’t until I finished drinking the water that Madame DeJoue spoke again.

“This is the first time in three days that you’ve woken up. Phew. Lady Carol was forced out of the room by Madame Berna.”

My throat definitely got better after the water. I cleared my throat and said, “Ahem, ahem. Good work. Carol could have caught my cold.”

“It was a big mess. His Highness Julien came by after you collapsed.”

“What?”

I was surprised.

There was no way the empress would have overlooked at such a thing, and the actions of an 8-year-old prince was restricted.

Without the patronage of Duke Grattoni, it was almost impossible for him to come outside.

“He came in secret. It seems Young Master Haru helped him, and they left the palace using the secret passageway to the cabin.”

“So, did he return safely?”

Madame DeJoue shook her head with a troubled look at my question.

“What?”

“He’s still here. He came last night, but he didn’t go back. He is supposed to leave by dawn, but…”

“What time is it now?”

“It’s 3:00 in the morning.”

No wonder.

Madame DeJoue had dark circles under her eyes, and she looked tired.

I stood up.

I felt refreshed after being ill for so long. I pushed back my damp bangs and put my feet on the floor.

“Oh my! You shouldn’t go around with bare feet.”

Madame DeJoue quickly put cushioned fur slippers in front of me.

“I can’t believe a noble lady is trying to meet a man barefoot.”

”…Not a man, but a baby. A disobedient baby. Where is he now?”

“He is staying in the guest room. But are you all right now? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“Yes. I feel refreshed.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried that your fever wouldn’t go away…” said Madame DeJoue, following in my footsteps.

“Madame DeJoue, you should go to sleep.”

“I’ll see off our guests first. I’m glad the Duke and Duchess didn’t come home today, but… it won’t be good if they hear about this.’

“Yes. But you said my aunt and uncle aren’t home today?”

“Ah… well.”

I noticed.

They’re spending the night with their lovers. I guess it was better that way, to go out rather than to bring them home.

“…You’re too much like an adult.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re a child on the outside, but an adult on the inside. Can’t you just not understand this? It feels like I destroyed your childhood innocence.”

“That’s the way the world is.”

Madame DeJoue clicked her tongue. It took us a while to arrive there, even though it was a guest room near my room, because my body had just woken up.

I knocked on the door.

“Julien, open the door. It’s me.”

The door opened hurriedly, as if he had been waiting.

“Sharon…!”

Haru was also with Julien in the room.

Julien pulled me in a hug as soon as he saw me.

“Hey. I can’t breathe!”

Haru pulled Julien away. He was limp, but had a happy face.

Then, he greeted me.

“Fortunately… you woke up before sunrise. Hahaha…”

He seemed to have suffered for a long time and had no energy in his words.

From what I heard before Haru and the crown prince went back, Haru was soothing Julien, who insisted, “I will not go back until Sharon wakes up.”

He comforted and soothed the uncompromising prince, but even when he said that they could come back tomorrow, Julien had refused.

I think I heard him thank me for waking up about five separate times.

While telling the story, he also complained and touted his own hard work dealing with Julien’s stubbornness.

For example:

‘We have to go before the maids come to Julien’s room. But, do you know how stubborn he is? I’m getting old because of him, old.’

It was like this.

It was around four o’clock that the two boys, who were completely distracted as soon as they opened their eyes, returned.

Julien had not said a word until then, only looking at my face.

His eyes didn’t shake or blink, so I thought I was looking at a statue.

The words he said before he returned home were nothing much, but they contained his sincerity.

‘Don’t be sick.’

It was as if he were desperately saying, “Please.”

[1] A record of everyone in the family that keeps track of births, deaths, marriages, and adoption. South Korea used this rather than personal registration up until 2008, when it was abolished for being patriarchal and a violation of the right to gender equality.