The servants tossed Desi into the tub. Water splashed everywhere as Desi struggled. Even the servants standing nearby got soaked.
“This beast!”
“Everyone, hold him properly!”
Shouts followed because of Desi’s resistance.
“Strip him completely first!”
“Pull the leash!”
Desi’s resistance intensified at the command to strip him. The more Desi resisted, the rougher the servants treated him. They even grabbed Desi’s leash and shoved him into the water. I worried that if they kept this up, Desi might not be able to breathe.
“Stop it!”
In the end, I had to intervene. As soon as I appeared, the commotion stopped instantly. The servants widened their eyes and looked at me. Desi’s head was also turned in my direction.
Desi’s ragged clothes were half removed, and among the servants around the bathtub, there was not a single person who wasn’t wet.
‘
“The water’s cold, that’s why. Please use warm water to wash him. And handle him gently. Maybe he’s acting up because he’s in pain.”
I lectured earnestly, placing my hand on my waist. The servants exchanged glances with each other, unable to hide their confusion. One of the maids who had regained her composure approached me and pushed me away.
“You shouldn’t be here, miss.”
“It’s too noisy, that’s why. Don’t hurt Desi.”
“Oh my, what will the Viscount do if he finds out? Please leave quickly.”
“Pour warm water. Then I’ll leave.”
Even as the maid sighed deeply, I didn’t give in. Surprisingly, Desi suddenly became quiet as soon as he saw me. Sitting quietly in the cold water, soaking wet, he didn’t move. The servants found his behavior strange.
Due to the muzzle and the long unkempt hair, I couldn’t see Desi’s expression, but I thought he might be showing me a gentle face now and then.
Thanks to Desi’s newfound calmness, the servants’ touch became gentler. I turned away only after seeing water being poured into the tub.
Then, I stealthily made my way to the kitchen. It was to steal.
I had never stolen before. The law stated that those caught stealing would face severe punishment. If the stolen item was valuable, the thief could become a slave to the victim.
However, it didn’t always mean receiving a terrifying punishment. Minors could be forgiven if caught stealing. It was believed that everyone might steal at least once when they were young. But instead of being forgiven, they had to undergo a beating to ensure they wouldn’t do it again.
Remembering that I would have to be hit with a club made me a little scared. But I quickly gathered my courage and entered the kitchen. The kitchen was quiet as it wasn’t meal preparation time. Silently, I entered the pantry and filled a large sack with potatoes, pumpkins, raw meat, and whatever else was available.
“Ugh, it’s too heavy.”
However, the real challenge was carrying the sack full enough to make it difficult to carry alone. I had to deliver this large sack to Desi without anyone noticing.
Despite the chilly weather, I was sweating profusely due to the fear and tension of stealing.
Carefully, I emerged from the warehouse and moved along the back wall of the garden. Despite the rough wall rubbing against my back, I steadfastly hid myself. Instead of immediately entering the mansion, I remained still. I intended to wait until the servants stopped moving around. It would be futile if I rushed down to the basement only to encounter the servants.
I spent time plucking grass underfoot while waiting. The sun rose directly overhead. It was time for the servants to go for lunch. I descended into the basement. However, there was someone tied up in the basement whom I had never seen before.
“Who are you?!”
Goodness! I screamed inwardly. This wasn’t Desi, I thought. His hair was cropped short like ink on paper, and his skin was clean. There was no disgusting odor emanating from him.
“Hello. Do you happen to know where Desi went? Have you seen Desi? He… He smells bad, his face is all rough, and his hair is long enough to cover his face like a dust pit.”
“…”
“Do you really not know Desi? He lives here. Surely he hasn’t been cast away for being ugly? Right? Please say no! He may seem dirty and growl sometimes, but he’s my only friend.”
I cried tears thinking Desi had disappeared. Then Desi, who had been staring at me with a blank face, spoke.
“Get out.”
After hearing Desi’s voice, I realized this person was indeed Desi. Desi had a voice like a violin played by a little brother. I didn’t hear it often, but I remembered Desi’s voice distinctly.
“Is it really you, Desi? Goodness!”
I thought he had olive-colored skin, but Desi had dark brown skin, ripe like autumn wheat. It wasn’t blotchy like tree bark as I thought. There were just numerous old scars. Among the thick black hair that had grown wildly, only yellow irises flashed, and his face was well-defined because of the neatly trimmed hair. His nose was straight, and his slightly raised eyes looked mischievous. His autumn-colored lips looked like they were drawn with a brush.
Moreover, he wasn’t wearing torn and tattered clothes but a white robe. If he went out like this, no one would ever imagine he was Desi.
“Is this a dream? A lie?”
I approached Desi with a heavy heart. I touched his hair and caressed his face, convinced he wasn’t Desi, but when I saw his yellow eyes, I knew he was Desi. Desi was the only one in the village with eyes as yellow as daisy petals.
“Desi, look at this.”
I chuckled as I admired the sight of Desi, who had become someone else, then snapped out of it and unpacked the load.
“What’s this?”
Desi looked astonished at the endless supply of ingredients.
“I brought it for you. Have you been hungry?”
He needed to eat for eight, but he barely ate for one. How hungry he must have been. I offered Desi potatoes first.
“Eat quickly.”
Desi frowned at the raw potatoes.
“It’s raw potatoes.”
“You are hungry! Why bother with that now? Do you want to starve to death?!”
If you don’t eat properly, you might become weak and eventually starve to death. Desi seemed indifferent to this dangerous situation. I was engulfed in darkness within.
Urgency to feed Desi quickly led me to forcefully stuff potatoes into his mouth.
“Ugh!”
“Eat! Eat the meat too!”
Perhaps due to his sharp teeth, Desi chewed on both raw potatoes and raw meat with ease. When he started eating raw meat, he suddenly became excited and began to chew on the meat frantically, even growling during the process.
However, when I offered raw pumpkin, he spat it out with a “ptoo.” Desi’s eyes, now filled with uncertainty, stared at me. His face seemed to convey many emotions—why, how could you do this to me, are you crazy? Such feelings floated over Desi’s face.
“It’s all for you, Desi. Eat quickly.”
Desi continued to keep his mouth shut, still tainted with a look of betrayal.
“If you don’t eat a lot, you might starve to death!”
“Why would I die?”
“That’s what the older brother said. If your strength is great, you should eat as much as your strength. I don’t get hungry even if I eat only a tiny bit, but Desi, how about you? Is your stomach full with what you’re eating now?”
Desi listened to me and fell into contemplation.
“Huh? Even if you eat a bowl of porridge and a small piece of bread I bring, your stomach is full, right?”
“No.”
“Really? Are you full?”
“I’m hungry every day. Thunder rumbles in my stomach. I want to devour everything visible in my hunger.”
For a moment, Desi’s gaze sharpened. As he glared at me, I recalled the day I first met Desi. It was the same intense gaze. I tensed, thinking he might devour me, but quickly regained my composure.
“Uh-huh. So, you have to eat a lot. If you don’t eat as much as your strength, you might become weak and starve to death.”
“…”
“So, come on, eat quickly. If you don’t want to die.”
Desi seemed to agree with me and stuffed the ingredients I brought into his mouth. After swiftly devouring the raw meat, blood dripping, Desi also chewed on the potatoes with gusto.
I asked Desi, who only picked out the pumpkin to eat, “Don’t you eat pumpkin?”
“I hate pumpkin.”
“Being picky isn’t good.”
Upon hearing my words, Desi reluctantly put the pumpkin in his mouth but then grimaced and threw it against the wall, shattering it into pieces.
“I hate pumpkin.”
“…Alright. I guess that’s possible.”
Desi really disliked pumpkin. Although picky eating was bad, I understood Desi’s aversion, as I also hated carrots floating in soup more than death.
“Now, how about it? Are you full?”
Desi, with the appetite of an adult, swallowed two pieces of raw meat, a block of cheese, and six potatoes. After hesitating for a moment with a slightly softened expression, he nodded.
“A little.”
A little? I was stunned. How could he not feel stuffed after eating so much? It was clear that feeding Desi would be a tough task. I began to lament with a worried expression.
“This is really bad, really bad.”
“What’s wrong?”
“To keep Desi from starving, I have to bring food every day… It’s too heavy and difficult.”
Feeling immense pressure, my chest tightened. Desi was a precious friend, and I couldn’t just let him starve to death. However, as I contemplated the thought of doing this difficult task every day, everything seemed bleak. It felt like sitting in front of a desk piled high with homework. I sighed heavily and began to lament.
“Oh, Desi. How can I feed you alone? Oh…”
“I’ll help you.”
Desi sat up. If it were yesterday, there would have been loud clanging noises of chains, but not today. Now, only ankle chains were bound to his feet.
“H-How? You’re tied up, Desi.”
“Steal the key.”
“The key?”
“Yeah. If the chains are unlocked, I can help carry the food.”
I stared blankly at Desi’s ankles. I had never thought about Desi being able to move freely, so I was surprised.
If only the chains binding Desi were gone, he could leave this place. He could breathe fresh air, frolic in the grass, and sneak food from the kitchen.
“Who would have the key?”
I whispered to Desi. But if I had to sneak into Father’s office or room to steal the key, I might just give up. Approaching Father was too scary.
“The stable boy with a snub nose and teary brown eyes. Today, I saw him tying me up and putting the key on his left hip.”
“Hawk?”
“I think that was his name.”
Hawk is the stable boy. He feeds the horses every day, takes care of them so they don’t get sick, and cleans up their dung. Horses require meticulous care, but Hawk always slacks off. Even though a single horse costs more than Hawk’s worth, if a horse gets sick, he still gets a beating from the stable master.
“If Hawk has it, then it’s doable.”
I gained confidence. Hawk was considered easy by anyone.
Hawk usually puts on airs, but he stutters only in front of the stable master. And sometimes, even in front of me. He begged not to speak to me. He said if the stable master or the owner found out he had a conversation with a lowly stable boy like me, his life would be as good as over. Despite feeling disappointed by Hawk’s pleading, I promised not to talk to him.
