The Maid Dreams Of The Sunset - Chapter 40

It was said in anticipation of how he would react, but unfortunately, Isaac only stared at Max with his mouth tightly closed, without giving a loud reaction.

 

But it was a satisfactory enough response for Max.

 

Wasn’t the guy, who used to stand still like a stone statue with an expressionless face or a smiling face even if he said all sorts of swear words, now staring at him like that?

 

‘Moron.’

 

‘Pretending to be smart, overflowing with arrogance, and yet he cares for a maid?’

 

‘Never betray your bloodline, hah!’

 

Max recited the words in a strong tone as if he were driving a wedge.

 

“Did you hear it clearly? I am the owner of Dahlia Beroch.”

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

 

Isaac looked away and spilled his words. A gentle smile spread over the hardened face, and he made a very natural expression, as if he could not understand what Max was really talking about.

 

However, like a beast that was particularly sensitive to natural enemies, Max figured out that his smile was fake with a sharp eye. Feeling the victory was finally leaning toward him all at once, Max raised the joy of the winner’s face.

 

“If you want to pretend you don’t know, don’t make it obvious. Do you know what your face is like now?”

 

“…Insisting you are right when there is no basis is called a delusion. Wake up, Max.”

 

“Think as you please, delusion or whatever. Keep on fluttering. If you want to see that girl crying underneath me.”

 

Isaac’s lips, which had been tightly closed, flinched and trembled.

 

Max raised his hand and tapped on Isaac’s white cheek.

 

His half-brother’s provocation was no longer hurtful.

 

“Looking at you fidgeting, she seems to be a pretty good girl. It’s not my cup of tea to enjoy another person’s leftovers… but I’m a little attracted this time.”

 

“…Stop it.”

 

“You still have a long way to get your act together, seeing that you’re talking so roughly.”

 

Laughing at ease, Max slapped Isaac a little harder on the cheek. Nevertheless, Isaac only lowered his eyes silently and did not rebel.

 

“I don’t mean to make things big either. If you swear to be loyal to me for the rest of your life here, I’ll let her go for now.”

 

“…”

 

“Why? Can’t you do it?”

 

Isaac completely covered his half-closed eyelids and blocked his vision.

 

Had that smirk on Max’s face ever bothered him as much as today?

 

Isaac wanted to rip Max’s mouth that mocked Dahlia into shreds, and break his neck right away.

 

Just in time, there were only two people in this large annex, which was far away from the main building, so it would be perfect to kill him, throw him out on the cliff, and treat it like he lost his footing.

 

‘Shall I do it?’

 

‘Shall I kill him?’

 

In the darkness that dwelled in those eyes, the corpse of Max, who died miserably, was reflected.

 

Such a satisfying sight to imagine…

 

But there were too many risks. Since their relationship was deteriorating day by day, Max’s death would be viewed as a murder, rather than an accident.

 

In the end, Isaac was left with only two choices; run or be caught. And Isaac hated both.

 

He hated not being able to see Dahlia.

 

He didn’t even want her to be sad.

 

There would be one way; run away with Dahlia, but he wasn’t sure if she would run away with him.

 

It was comfortable having Gehern as a shield.

 

Only now did he regret his father’s absence. He wanted to get up right away and shout out to him to get out of this annoying situation, but unfortunately, it was the domain of God to save the unconscious.

 

Isaac slowly lifted his eyelids as he chewed on the inside of his mouth imperceptibly.

 

If it was to protect his most precious thing, Dahlia.… For now, there was no other option but to submit.

 

“I’m loyal… I swear.”

 

Max, who was watching him with a bored face, raised a sneer on his lips. When it was the time to stick close and threaten, Max stepped back with a pleasant step and jutted his chin toward the floor.

 

“Do I have to teach you this? Get down on your knees and do it right.”

 

 

Isaac kneeled down without hesitation and touched the floor. After taking a look at Max with a bitter face, he slowly lowered his head, bowing deeply.

 

Every movement of his half-brother left a clear mark in his blue eyes. As the miserable appearance continued, the eyes looking at him slowly drew an arc. In the midst of their mixed emotions; joy and sorrow, Isaac let out a painful breath.

 

“I’ll do as you say. I won’t disobey anything. Don’t touch her.”

 

A shadow fell on the back of the hand that was touching the floor. The dirty shoes began to trample on the back of Isaac’s hand.

 

The heavy weight pressed the back of the hand as if it were going to break. When he tried to pull his hand out, Max stomped on the back of his hand even harder.

 

As soon as the painful moans were about to come out, a low threat to not make a sound followed, and Isaac bit his lip to hold back his moaning.

 

“If you’re going to ask a favor, you should be a little more polite, Isaac.”

 

The tip of his shoe, which had been trampling on his hand, kicked Isaac’s side. Isaac barely supported his posture by applying strength to his collapsing body.

 

“…Please, please don’t touch her.”

 

At the sad appeal, Max took his foot off as if he were being lenient. The face looking at the kneeling brother was glowing in arrogance, without even a hint of humility.

 

“I’ll see what you’re doing. Instead, don’t think about walking around holding your head up like you used to. If you talk back, I’ll sell that girl to Anksi.”

 

Isaac’s eyes trembled at the word ‘Anksi.’

 

Where Rene’s house used to be.

 

The place where the past was buried.

 

As soon as he recalled the notorious brothel, a sour taste drifted down his throat.

He swallowed and lowered his head even deeper. It was fortunate that Max didn’t notice his embarrassment.

 

“…I’ll keep that in mind; I won’t go against it.”

 

The moment Isaac responded in a trembling voice, Max grabbed his hair and forced him to raise his head, then slapped him across the cheek.

 

Along with the hot sensation, a metallic taste spread in the mouth. Isaac asked for his forgiveness with sorrowful eyes. Max’s smile deepened a little, and soon the other cheek caught fire.

 

“Good boy, Isaac.”

 

“…”

 

“Let’s just do as promised, okay?”

 

When Isaac nodded quickly, Max let go of the hand holding his hair.

 

Max dusted his hands with displeasure as if he had touched something dirty, and then strode out of the room with unrepentant steps.

 

Silence finally came along with the receding footsteps. Isaac didn’t raise his head even after the sound of the footsteps disappeared.

 

His cold, stiff limbs twitched slightly, but Isaac stood there blankly, expressionless, staring at the door where Max had disappeared.

 

He moved again and approached the window. He laid down on the sofa by the window and stared at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. The lamp hanging on the wall colored his black eyes with a yellow light.

 

‘Yellow.’

 

‘…No. Gray…?’

 

He couldn’t see it properly.

 

Everything reflected the blurry pupil in a distorted form. The bizarre hallucinations that you feel whenever your nerves reach their limit…

 

The hallucination of Rene’s house that he had abandoned and long forgotten about began to haunt Isaac again.

 

“No…”

 

He felt like he was going back to those days.

 

His fingertips grew cold at the thought of Max touching something he had valued more than his own life…

 

The feeling of the five senses getting dull, colors that don’t look like colors, and everything you touch feels like a weapon…

 

This feeling.

 

Close your eyes and close your ears.

 

He curled up infinitely small, blocking all sound and light.

 

The season after spring had arrived wasn’t very cold, but Isaac felt an untimely cold and rolled up his body. Still, the chill didn’t go away, and he hugged his upper body in his cold hands.

 

He doubted whether the shivering body was his.

 

How long had it been since he felt like this?

 

The blue dawn squeezed through the curtains and called Isaac’s attention. Isaac, who was staring blankly ahead with his open eyes, rose and cast his eyes out of the window.

 

“…Rain.”

 

The early morning rain pattered on the window. The sight of raindrops falling through the faintly floating light stole his attention.

 

When did it start raining?

 

The familiar landscape slowly brought relief and rest.

 

He heard the sound of his pounding heart slowly unraveling…

 

Soon, the objects that had been faded began to take their own colors and illuminate Isaac’s vision.

 

Isaac listened to the sound of the rain, and it wasn’t until the dusk receded and his surroundings were completely lit that he shook off his seat.

 

As soon as he left the annex, the cold spring rain hit his cheek. The raindrops seeping into the cape awakened his condensed senses, and whenever he took a step, the sound of his footsteps brightly tapped his ears.

 

It wound up his gloomy thoughts with bright memories and diluted them. Feeling gradually better, Isaac played her voice with his eyes closed.

 

“It’s the biggest snail I’ve ever seen! It’s really fast, too. I don’t think you’ve ever seen a snail this fast!”

 

On a rainy day, Dahlia, who brought a snail, put a large snail on the back of Isaac’s hand and laughed.

 

And… Yes, spring.

 

At this time of year, they would always go deep into the forest together to pick bracken. They picked so many bracken that their fingertips got black.

 

“I can make bread if I have this much.”

 

“Bread?”

 

“Yes, bracken bread. In the north, they make bread with bracken. I’ve been wondering the whole time since I heard it from the maid, but I’ll bring it to the young master if I succeed.”

 

The bracken bread that she made at that time tasted really strange. It was funny again, so he remembered sitting in front of the annex and eating all the tasteless bread without leaving anything.

 

As he recalled the memories, the thoughts that weighed on his shoulders faded away. The forest became more and more dense, and the sound of rain, birds, leaves, and grass blades rubbing against each other came together to lead Isaac back to reality.

 

There was no longer any pain or hesitation left in those clear eyes. Only the pride for what to protect remained, shining brightly in his dark eyes.

 

‘Max, I don’t hate you.’

 

‘I never truly felt that I hated you…’

 

“But why did you put Dahlia’s name in your mouth?”

 

The eyes that were calmly staring ahead became thinner, and the sound of footsteps stopped.

 

The place where his steps stopped was in front of the distant cliff.

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