“Episode 10″
Put on this dress and pretend to be a maid, then escape from the mansion.”
“If I put on this dress and leave, what about you, Mari?”
“What else can I do?”
Mari looked at the elegant brown dress.
“If Father catches you, this time you might be killed.”
“I can’t let you risk your life for mine. Let’s find another way, okay?”
As I insisted, Mari silently opened her arms and embraced me. Her soft brown hair brushed against my cheek.
“I’ve been honored to serve you all this time, Isabella.”
I tried to hold back tears as I forced a smile.
“…I’ll try to fulfill your wish.”
“But, Isabella, I’m not really okay with this.”
As Mari and I exchanged a sorrowful look, her eyes welled up with tears.
“…Then go back and get it, please.”
Mari gently placed the maid’s dress on me with her small hands, just like she used to.
“Isabella, please listen to me. Pretend you’re wearing a mask and go out. Got it?”
As Mari handed me the makeshift cage, she picked up the discarded dress of the late Countess.
“Please, Mari! Don’t do this. Instead of trading your life for mine, I’d rather, I’d rather go as the bride of Duke Ambrose!”
When Mari and I locked eyes as she put on the dress of the deceased Countess, her eyes softened sadly.
“It’s been an honor to serve you, Isabella.”
Mari collected herself and bowed politely. Tears filled my eyes.
“…Mari.”
The firmly shut bedroom door remained unmoved no matter how much I knocked. With trembling eyes, I glanced back.
The busy servants preparing for guests didn’t seem to notice me. Overwhelmed with fear, I finally took a step towards fulfilling Mari’s last wish.
“Mari, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry….”
Just a little closer, and I could escape outside.
“Where are you going when we’re so busy with the guests?!”
Drusilla, the housemaid, stopped me in my tracks.
“Young maids should be cleaning the reception room!”
Drusilla leaned in to inspect my face.
“The master asked you to get rid of that smelly parrot and come back!”
She wrinkled her nose as I presented the cage.
“…The smell! Get rid of it now and come back!”
With the manor in sight, I hesitated for a moment before turning back. Driven by guilt, I retraced my steps to fulfill Mari’s final wish.
“Welcome back.”
The shop owner looked surprised at my appearance.
“You’ve come to visit again today without fail.”
However, soon after, he greeted me with his usual warmth.
“Until I come back, can you take care of this parrot for me? I brought it from the mansion.”
In the firm grip of refusal from the shop owner, I felt a sense of urgency.
“…Can I take care of it instead? I really cherish parrots…”
As he gently examined my tear-stained cheek, my heart melted.
“I’ve had enough. Let’s go home, Isabella.”
* * *
Back at the mansion, the blue parrot returned and eagerly pecked at the seeds. Watching it feast by the window, I felt relieved.
“Yes, it’s good to be back home.”
Are you also longing for that person like me? That’s why you starved yourself, even though you didn’t give a glance when the Countess was there?
“Kind Isabella, are you making this parrot your companion because it looked lonely eating alone?”
As he offered me a mug of hot milk tea, my frozen heart began to thaw.
“It’s milk tea. Be careful, it’s hot.”
As I took a sip of the warm milk tea, the frost inside my chest began to melt away.
“It seems like you’ve gained more scars while I wasn’t around.”
He spoke softly, looking at the parrot. Feathers stuck together, and even the last remaining seed was plucked away as if stripping a raw chicken before cooking.
“It’s all my fault. I took your home away because of my greed.”
If I had stayed at the haunted mansion, I could have lived happily without a care in the world.
Overwhelmed by self-blame, I forced a bitter smile, and Ethan’s hand gently touched my cheek.
“It’s not about the parrot. Isabella, I’m talking about you.”
His fingertips gently brushed over her face like a wisp of smoke, tracing the shadows of illness under her eyes, the gaunt cheeks left by persistent fever, and even her parched lips, devoid of any moisture.
As his fingers hovered near the edge of her lips, she recoiled, feeling the intrusion into her mouth. She bit down on his gentle touch, feeling the tender flesh of her mouth being manipulated by the foreign sensation.
“Open your mouth quietly,” he instructed.
“Ah…”
His fingers, straight and firm, explored the delicate tissues inside her mouth, from the tip of her tongue to the depths of her throat, gently probing and pushing.
“Ah, ugh…”
With a trickle of saliva, his fingers slid smoothly out of her mouth, leaving her staring blankly.
“You have developed inflammation inside your mouth. You must have suffered from a severe illness in my absence. Poor Isabella.”
His concerned voice made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Was his clandestine act simply to examine the inflammation inside her mouth?
She couldn’t grasp how to react. Watching him closely, she noticed a brief sigh escaping his lips.
“…If only you had stayed by my side, you wouldn’t have returned with such wounds.”
His arms tentatively wrapped around her waist. As he buried his face in her neck, he spoke with a mournful voice.
“I apologize for the harsh words that day. I spoke without hearing your side, overwhelmed by betrayal.”
Feeling his self-reproachful touch, her heart ached. Though she had ignored his warnings and defied the taboo, why was he the one apologizing?
“Isabella, will you give me one more chance?”
His voice was desperate, like a man trembling with anticipation, pleading for forgiveness.
“Ethan, there’s no need to apologize. I’m grateful that you allowed me to stay in the mansion again.”
He gently removed her left hand, which had been resting on his thigh. As he extended his palm, tears welled up in his eyes.
“You are truly a kind person.”
With tearful eyes, she looked at him. But before she could say anything, he continued.
“Isabella, I will give you freedom.”
Freedom, what a captivating word. She never imagined she would hear such words from him.
“What do you mean?”
Filled with anticipation, she grabbed the collar of his shirt.
“I have a way, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
“You know it’s not the time to be cryptic. Please tell me.”
Her nerves were on edge as she waited for his lips to move. Outside the partially open bedroom window, a flock of parrots flew in line.
“Thunk.”
Just as her gaze was distracted by the colorful display, his long finger firmly gripped her chin.
Looking up at him with a rigid face, she watched as his lips moved closer.
“Isabella, I will become your fiancé.”
At first, she thought it was a distasteful joke. Frowning, she waited for his gaze to show impatience.
“…Still not interested?”
“Oh, Ethan Holden, was that statement genuine?”
“Ah, too bad. I’m not a man of wit and humor. As for my status and wealth, I won’t be lacking as your fiancé. I can even provide a generous dowry.”
His serious tone made her doubt the falsehood of his words.
“If you are willing to help me to such an extent, what benefits do you gain…”
“Have you forgotten? I have a great fondness for injured animals. From deer trapped in drainage ditches to owls with injured legs, even raccoons with severed tongues. I’ve cared for countless animals under my care.”
“…So, in essence, I am nothing more than a wounded parrot caught in your trap.”
“Do you need further explanation? Given the short time we’ve known each other, isn’t it less reliable for me to court you at first sight?”
“But…”
