Estribal turned around. In the past, he always justified his actions and distanced himself from his feelings. So even now, Ciello couldn’t believe him when he said there was no reason in his heart. That’s why Estribal nodded.
“Yes. Your feelings are the most important to me right now.”
Ciello laughed heartily. Even such words could make you laugh, why did I do that? A part of Estribal’s heart ached.
The two started walking quietly. The leaves blown by the wind crunched under Ciello’s feet. After a brief pause, Ciello opened her mouth.
“I was abandoned when I was young. I went to see a circus. Hmm… Maybe they really lost me by mistake as they said, but that’s my memory.”
Estribal silently looked at Ciello without responding.
“But surprisingly, it was fun. The acrobats treated me quite well. It was amazing and nice to travel here and there. I rode a unicycle, practiced juggling with apples instead of knives. Then I got scolded for taking a bite…”
“I can understand.”
At his words, Ciello chuckled.
“But one day, they told me I didn’t have to practice! Instead, they gave me pretty clothes and applied perfume. So, to thank them, I secretly went to the ringmaster’s tent in the middle of the night…”
Ciello clicked her tongue and calmly continued her story.
“I overheard them. They were talking about selling me to some noble.”
Ciello’s tone was as calm as if she was telling someone else’s story, but Estribal could only guess how much time it took for her to be able to talk about it so nonchalantly.
“Really, I don’t care. Anyway, I ran away that day. I lived on the streets until I was lucky enough to get into an orphanage…Well, you know the rest of the story. But as for why I’m telling this story?”
Ciello shrugged exaggeratedly. To not break Ciello’s feigned calmness, Estribal also asked in an indifferent tone.
“So, do you want parents?”
Ciello didn’t answer and turned her gaze away with a light laugh. Estribal muttered so that Ciello couldn’t hear.
“I’m glad. That’s also something I can give.”
Ciello, who was blankly looking at the sky, looked at him.
“Huh? What did you say you’re glad about?”
Estribal quietly shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Shall we go in?”
The two returned to the mansion by carriage.
****
The next day, Estribal’s servants brought the investigation records of Ciello’s parents.
“They are nothing but swindlers.”
“Yeah, they must be.”
Estribal scanned the papers with indifferent eyes. They were just back alley swindlers, and numerous pieces of evidence proving they had nothing to do with Ciello passed through Estribal’s hands one by one.
“What will you do?”
“I’ll go myself. Keep Ciello in the dark. And this letter is for another matter, deliver it to the detached palace.”
Estribal handed out an envelope. The servant bowed his head and disappeared outside the door. Confirming this, Estribal stood up from his seat. However, what he picked up was not a gun, but glasses.
****
“Ines, do you think it will really work?”
“Of course. The girl has already fallen for it. She’s dumber than I thought. Well, that’s why she’s cute.”
Inside a shabby house, a red-haired woman puffed on a cheap cigarette. A short man filled the woman’s glass with alcohol and spoke.
“Then it’s over. The duke is also just a fool.”
“No, Pedro. Rather, I don’t understand that duke. There’s something strange…”
Ines frowned and muttered. Then there was a knock on the door.
“Excuse me, are you there?”
Pedro put down the bottle of alcohol and opened the front door.
“Who are you…Oh my!”
The person who entered was Estribal, the duke they called a fool. The duke bent his waist and entered the low door without a moment’s delay.
“Duke, how can you suddenly come to such a place…”
“That’s right. If you had given us a heads up, we would have prepared something.”
Ines pretended to be pitiful and quickly cleared away the alcohol, scattered snacks, and ashtray. The duke looked at her with a smile on his face.
“No, no, it’s not that. You’re going to be family someday. I should pay my respects.”
He stuttered awkwardly, his face turning red up to his neck. Ines looked at him with hopeful eyes.
“Oh my, how…”
In response, the duke put down his bag.
“So, what I have to give…it’s important, so I brought it myself.”
Pedro swallowed his saliva. But what came out of it was a stack of papers that seemed to be almost a book.
“These are the things you need to know about Ciello. Ciello’s past, what she likes, friends…Everything is organized, so please memorize everything before you come next time.”
“Huh? How can we suddenly memorize all this…”
The two looked at the duke with surprised faces. The duke looked at them with a troubled face.
“Will it be difficult?”
“Well, you may not know because the Duke is a noble, but we also have a livelihood…”
Pedro showed displeasure. His tone was clearly belittling, but the duke did not point out his rudeness. Instead, the duke nonchalantly took out a heavy gold bar from his bag and pressed the paper.
“Oh, the paper seemed to be flying away. So, please continue talking.”
The faces of the two brightened.
“Ho ho, we have to do it! What can’t we do for our daughter?”
Ines jabbed Pedro’s waist with her elbow, and Pedro also quickly nodded with a friendly smile.
“Yes, yes. I spoke nonsense.”
Worried that the Duke might change his mind, the two quickly gathered the gold bar and the bundle of papers. The Duke smiled contentedly and spoke.
“Good. And from now on, I will decide all the places and times where you will meet Ciello. If you disobey, there may not be a next meeting.”
“Huh?”
“Ha ha…just kidding.”
The Duke chuckled. His silly face was like watching a clown show, but the two somehow felt a chill down their spines. The next thing the Duke put on the table was a housing contract.
“And I’ve arranged a new house, so prepare to move. I hope you like it.”
The two’s eyes widened. Under the contract, their signatures were already copied identically.
“How… how did you get the signature…”
Ines looked at the Duke with suspicious eyes. But Pedro shushed Ines and, with a face full of greed, spoke to the Duke.
“I understand what you’re saying. But Duke, doesn’t the paper seem to be flying away?”
“Oh, you’re right.”
The Duke took out something heavy from his bag just like before. Pedro’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his hand, but what came out of that black bag was not a gold bar but a gun. The two gasped for breath.
“Duke?!”
“Oh, my mistake.”
The Duke laughed awkwardly and took out a gold bar and placed it on the paper. Crushed by that bizarre disharmony, the two couldn’t do anything and just looked around. It was a stark contrast to the moment when they were hastily clutching the gold bar.
“Go ahead.”
The Duke gestured for them to take them, but the two shrank back, shaking their heads.
“It seems like an excessive gift, Duke. Please speak first.”
At Ines’s words, the Duke kindly smiled and added.
“It’s nothing, haha. Anyway, please keep today’s visit a secret from Ciello. She’s a lady with more shyness than you’d think…”
The Duke looked at Ines with a wide smile, lifting the corners of his mouth.
“Well, that’s why she’s cute.”
Ines froze. From where had he been listening? Her face stiffened and her hands trembling, she was replaced by Pedro, who quickly nodded.
“That..That’s right. Ciello has grown up to be a very cute lady. Isn’t that all thanks to the Duke?”
At their answer, the Duke nodded as if satisfied.
“Ah, I’d love to talk about Ciello with you two all night…but I have to go now. Do you have any more questions?”
“No. No, we don’t. It’s enough.”
The two shook their heads with frightened faces.
“If you have any questions, feel free to ask even after I leave. I’ll probably hear everything.”
At his words, the two shuddered and looked around the house. Nothing had changed before and after his arrival, but now they felt as if they were being watched by invisible eyes. The Duke laughed casually and stood up from his seat.
“Then, I’ll see you in the new house next time.”
What had he done in that house? It wouldn’t be strange if he had installed surveillance or hidden explosives. Ines broke out in a cold sweat and bowed deeply.
“Please, take care on your way.”
“Please…please be careful.”
The Duke nodded and left the room. The moment the two breathed a sigh of relief, the Duke suddenly turned around. Pedro gasped in surprise. The Duke spoke to Ines.
“That…your roots are too dark.”
“Huh? What do you mean…”
The Duke kindly lifted the corners of his mouth.
“Dye it again.”
With a creepy sound, the door closed. Ines, who had been staring blankly at him, collapsed onto the floor.
“Ines, are you okay?”
Pedro helped the staggering Ines to sit on an old chair. Ines trembled and muttered.
“I knew it would be like this. I told you it was strange. He knew everything. He knew we were swindlers from the start…”
“Yeah. But anyway, it went better than we thought. All we have to do is cooperate.”
Pedro handed Ines a cigarette. Ines lit the cigarette and took a deep puff.
“My goodness. The confinement must have been real, too? He’s completely crazy. Poor Ciello…”
“Watch your mouth, Ines! He might be listening, no, he’s probably listening?”
At Pedro’s outcry, Ines stopped talking. Ines exhaled smoke and looked at him with a vacant face.
‘Should we give up?’
The two’s gazes silently collided in the air. But a moment later, they both shook their heads.
“We’re in. You saw it, too.”
Ines made a gun gesture with her fingers and pretended to shoot. Pedro also sighed and reached out to Ines.
“Alright. Then give me those papers. Let’s see what we have to do for that girl…no, the lady.”
