“Why suddenly the trash?”
“Anyway!”
“The garbage dump behind the kitchen. Didn’t you say we could throw things away there?”
As Carol explained that’s what she had heard, the maid, panting heavily, waved her hands. It meant no. After catching her breath somewhat, the maid stamped her feet.
“It seems my friend mistakenly disposed of an item.”
“An item?”
“Another guest arrived early this morning, and while the guest was out, it seems it was carelessly thrown away during cleaning.”
“Ah… The trash I threw away this morning?”
“Yes.”
Given only menial tasks, Carol hadn’t even known a guest had arrived. No wonder there was so much trash.
“I’ll guide you to where I threw away the trash.”
Carol hurriedly led the maid to where the garbage was collected. Fortunately, the dump was still there, untouched.
“The trash I threw away this morning is here.”
Luckily, it had been too heavy, so she had just left it beside the dump.
“Good. Thank you.”
Rip.
At Carol’s words, the maid quickly tore open the garbage bag.
“What are you looking for? I’ll help you search.”
As Carol bent her knees to speak, the maid’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude.
“It’s some kind of scarf, they say.”
“…A scarf?”
“Yes. They thought it was being thrown away because it was worn out, but apparently the guest said it was an important item.”
At the maid’s words, Carol’s hands, which had been rummaging through the trash, gradually slowed. She had confirmed that neither Mrs. Wells nor Norman had come to the capital townhouse, mixed in with the servants.
But for the other person, she had vaguely assumed they wouldn’t come.
“…Could that guest be…”
The maid picked up something from among the trash. Though faded and worn, Carol immediately recognized who this scarf belonged to.
After all, she was the one who had made this scarf.
“Found it! What were you saying just now? Never mind, let’s go!”
The maid urged Carol with a joyful face. Instead of suddenly asking why she had to go too, Carol followed as if in a trance.
Thud, thud.
She had thought she wouldn’t see him for a very long time.
She had naturally assumed he would be in the North, and Carol had no plans to go to the North for several years.
‘Good heavens!’
Carol bit her lower lip, thinking of her little friend.
Soon, she saw servants gathered in the hallway.
From among them, a still youthful voice could be heard.
“I understand it wasn’t thrown away intentionally, but it’s an important item to me.”
“I’m, I’m so sorry.”
The voice, just starting to break and coming out as if scratched, was solemn.
“Young master!”
The maid ran out holding the scarf and stood before Noah.
“I found it. This, this is it, right?”
The maid knelt before Noah, clutching the scarf. Noah received the dirtied scarf.
“That’s right.”
“I’ll, I’ll have it washed and put back in its place.”
Noah nodded at the maid’s words.
“How did you find it?”
“The maid who threw away the trash remembered exactly where she had disposed of it.”
“Who found this? I’ll give them a proper reward.”
Carol was bewildered to see Noah acting like a nobleman, so different from his former innocent self.
Although she recognized Noah immediately, hadn’t he changed too much?
It wasn’t just his attitude.
‘Isn’t he twelve?’
As if he had lived in a different time, Noah had grown significantly. To a stranger, he would look at least sixteen or seventeen.
While Carol was in shock, the maid quickly pointed to her as if to give her credit.
Carol looked at the maid, but the maid winked as if to say she had done well.
“I see, so you’re… Huh?”
Noah’s solemn expression cracked as he turned his gaze.
Why is Carol here?
Seeing his bewildered expression, Carol squeezed her eyes shut. She thought their acquaintance would be discovered.
“Well…”
But Noah seemed quite flustered too and stammered, and Carol noticed the opening and opened her eyes wide.
‘Please…!’
Carol furrowed her brow and sent a look towards Noah, her thoughts visible on her face.
Seeming to notice Carol’s desperate gaze, Noah changed his words.
“Since we’ve found the item, let’s conclude this matter without further action. I’ll give the reward later.”
“We’re sorry. We’ll be more careful from now on.”
As a forgiving atmosphere formed, the head maid quickly intervened and apologized on behalf of the maid.
Noah nodded vaguely at the head maid’s obsequious attitude. Then, as if commending her efforts, he patted Carol’s shoulder as he passed by.
As they brushed past each other, he whispered, “Tonight.” Carol nodded once, deeply.
Thus, a promise for the two to meet at night was made in an instant.
When night fell, Carol opened the window and transformed into a bird. Thankfully, she had a private room thanks to Louis’s introduction.
After a long time transforming, she shook her body and preened her feathers.
Carol slightly opened the window and slipped through the gap. Flying high into the sky, she arrived at a window at the end of the corridor.
Tap tap.
As Carol pecked at the window with her beak, it opened from inside as if someone had been waiting.
Noah stretched out his hand. Carol perched on his finger. Noah greeted her in a gentle voice.
“Hello, my little friend.”
“Noah, it’s been a long time.”
Noah pressed his forehead against Carol’s. Though he had grown bigger, he was still a child.
“How could you leave so suddenly!”
Noah placed Carol on the bed pillow.
“I’m sorry.”
Carol apologized sincerely. She wished she had at least said goodbye the last time they met. It had been weighing on her mind all this time.
“I know Carol isn’t the type to disappear without reason.”
Noah muttered in a dejected voice.
“I did have my reasons, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t apologize to you.”
“Tch.”
“I’m sorry. I should knit you a new scarf.”
“No, first I want to hear why you’re here.”
“Well…”
Their conversation flowed uninterrupted, as if the two and a half years that had passed meant nothing.
Unable to talk about the original story, Carol explained that her contract had ended and circumstances forced her to leave urgently.
Noah couldn’t hide his surprise with each of Carol’s words.
‘Carol doesn’t realize at all that she’s the one who broke the curse.’
Moreover, she thought the curse had been broken recently. Naturally, since Carol had been elsewhere during that time, she thought it was a completely different person who broke the curse.
“…So you only found out recently? That the Duke’s curse was broken.”
“I found out when I heard he was returning to the capital and getting married.”
“…I see.”
Noah was at a loss for where to begin explaining.
“So is the Duke marrying the person who broke the curse?”
With this final question, Carol briefly buried her beak in the pillow.
Noah gently stroked Carol’s small, round head with his finger.
He wanted to answer Carol’s question, but the Duke had already asked him to keep the marriage a secret.
“…I don’t know much. But it seems he does like the person who broke the curse.”
He thought this much would be okay to say.
“I see…”
Carol mumbled in a subdued voice, still misunderstanding.
“But you came all this way because you wanted to see the Duke, right?”
It wasn’t a topic he could speak freely about as an outsider.
But he believed it would be resolved quickly if they met. He had doubts about why she needed to sneak in like this when she could have met him otherwise, but Noah didn’t think much of it.
“No!”
“…Huh?”
“I just want to see him from afar. That’s all.”
“…That’s all?”
“There was something a bit awkward that happened, so it’s uncomfortable to see him face to face.”
“…”
Noah smiled, maintaining the facade of an innocent child who knew nothing.
“If Carol wants, I can help you see the Duke from afar.”
“Thank you!”
“Mm-hmm. Now, even if we part, promise to keep in touch with me!”
“Of course.”
“But you know what?”
“Yes?”
“Since the Duke doesn’t know Carol’s face, couldn’t you see him up close as long as you don’t speak?”
“…!”
“I’m the only one in the townhouse who knows Carol’s face, and I’m on Carol’s side!”
After pondering for a moment, Carol walked over and climbed back onto Noah’s arm.
“Will you do that for me?”
“Yes.”
Although Noah knew it wouldn’t end with just watching from nearby as Carol thought, he didn’t bother to tell her that fact.
The very next morning, Noah granted Carol’s request.
Every Monday morning, there was a time when the head maid would gather the servants to inform them of any changes in their work or things to be cautious about.
As usual, after finishing the announcements, instead of dismissing everyone, the head maid called out to Carol who was standing among the servants.
“New girl.”
“Yes.”
Carol, who had already been informed by Noah, answered with a calm expression.
“Come here for a moment. There’s been a change.”
“Yes.”
The head maid raised one eyebrow and looked Carol up and down.
“You’re the one who found the young master’s scarf that time, right?”
“Yes.”
“…I see. The young master has a separate task for you.”
The head maid seemed rather displeased that the new girl had caught the young master’s eye, but appeared unable to add any complaints since it was a direct order from the young master.
Oh ma god YAS THEY ARE GONNA MEET