The Count's Secret Maid - Chapter 22

Translation: godsn

I locked eyes with the man for a moment. Then, when he smoothly held out the tablecloth he was holding, I finally snapped out of it.

"Ah, thank you."

I hesitantly approached and took the tablecloth. As I glanced up at the man, our eyes met again. His brown eyes curved into round smiles.

"I am pleased."

"Pardon?"

Even his gentle voice exuded elegance. His eyes, holding a tender light, pierced clearly into me.

I widened my eyes, wondering what he meant. This time, the man pulled the corners of his lips into a smile. Just as I felt his gaze lingering on me, I realized I could see his face all too well. And the state of my bangs, sticking straight up.

Startled, I quickly grabbed my bangs and pulled them down. I was so ashamed that my face burned.

"I, I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because I look like this."

Because I look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so ugly. Someone once said that was a crime. Even though I wasn't born this way by choice, people judged and pointed fingers at me based solely on my face. So I used to cover my face, but it was a mistake not to care because Vincent couldn't see.

"It's pretty."

"……."

The wind swooshed past my back. I glanced up at the man, wondering if I had heard him correctly. He was still looking at me with a tender gaze. I was flustered by that gentle look.

It was the first time I had heard such words from anyone. Especially from a man. I hesitated, not knowing what to say, when Vincent's voice came from afar.

I remembered the existence I had forgotten for a moment. I quickly turned around. It seemed the distance between us had widened as I chased the direction the tablecloth flew. Vincent was nowhere to be seen from here. At this very moment, I was rather glad of that. He would surely be walking, groping the empty air with his hands. I couldn't let anyone see him like that.

Looking back, there was someone in the forest I had come to thinking no one was around. If I had been with Vincent, it would have been a dangerous moment. I had assumed there was no one in this forest, and since I was told Vincent wouldn't be there either, I was careless.

I looked at the man again. He was also looking in the direction where the sound came from. I bowed.

"Thank you."

And turned around.

As I walked quickly, folding the tablecloth, I felt a rough texture. I pulled it out and found it was a letter. A letter? When I flipped it over, gold lettering caught my eye. This is...!

I turned back again. But there was no one.

As if what just happened was a dream, the man had vanished without a trace.

After walking a little, I saw Vincent looking around.

"Master."

"……."

At my call, he, who had been walking urgently, stopped in his tracks. His stiff face turned to me.

"I'm sorry I'm late. But there was someone over there."

As I approached him, about to tell him about the man I just met, he, sensing my presence, abruptly reached out his hand. Then he grabbed my arm. It was a strong force. Without even a moment to be surprised, the hand that tightly gripped my arm pulled me in.

In an instant, the distance between us closed. The stiff face before me was stained with anxiety.

"Don't do this."

"Master?"

"Never do this again."

The low voice that murmured like a warning was trembling. He reached out his other hand toward my face, then hastily lowered it. Instead, he bent his waist and pressed his forehead against my shoulder.

"Don't leave me alone."

"……."

A sigh of relief brushed past my ear. The hand that had gripped my arm slid down and interlaced with my fingers. His large body pressed against me as if embracing me. His golden hair cascaded over my trembling eyes. The body heat filling my hands was hot.

The anxiety, the fear, and the relief soaked within them were felt entirely.

Only then did I realize I had made a huge mistake.

"I, I'm sorry."

"Let's go back. I'm tired."

"Yes. Let's go back."

I held his hand tightly, like that of a lost child, and escaped the forest. I looked back from time to time, and fortunately, no one was following us.

As we entered the annex, I saw Isabella approaching hurriedly from afar. It was an urgent movement unlike her. Isabella, who was approaching while looking around as if searching for something, stopped when she saw Vincent and me returning from our outing. She looked surprised for a moment but quickly feigned composure.

"Master."

"What's the commotion?"

"Well..."

It was then.

"Vincent!"

It was an unfamiliar voice that cut off Isabella and interjected. And a woman's voice, at that... At the same time, someone ran from afar. Fluttering a long dress as she quickly approached was a young woman. A woman I had never seen before, so beautiful that a gasp of admiration escaped me.

Who is she? I opened my eyes wide and observed the woman. Her gaze was directed at Vincent, who was standing behind me. But the woman looked blank for a moment, as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if she had seen something she shouldn't have, and then suddenly started to tear up.

"Vincent."

At that moment, strength surged into our clasped hands.

The fingertips gripping me tightly trembled faintly. I looked back at Vincent. Tension was etched on his stiff face. Not knowing why he was acting like that, I looked forward again, and the unfamiliar woman before me opened her mouth while still keeping her gaze fixed on Vincent.

"You're Vincent, right? You are, aren't you?"

"...Violet."

I was startled by the low voice coming from behind. That woman is Violet? That Violet? I forgot all about my manners and stared intently at her.

Soon after, Ethan approached her side. He somehow looked embarrassed. Then he spotted me and waved his hand happily before quickly lowering his eyes. It seemed he had seen Vincent standing behind me. I glanced back at the trembling I had been feeling for a while.

"Vincent. Really..."

Violet took another step closer to us. Moisture welled up in her ecstatic purple eyes. The trembling in our clasped hands grew fiercer. I stepped back. No, I didn't move; he pulled me back.

"So much... I really missed you so much..."

"Violet, calm down for now."

Ethan stopped Violet, who kept trying to approach Vincent. She glanced at Ethan, then immediately locked her eyes back on Vincent. Even in the brief moment she turned her head, her face, trying to get closer to him, oozed desperation, as if she feared he might slip away. Ethan also glanced our way and tried to dissuade her. Isabella, standing behind the two, also seemed to be pondering what to do about this situation.

The dilemma spread to this side as well.

"Um. Master."

"……."

Calling him as if whispering, I shook our clasped hands once. He flinched in surprise, but gripped my hand even tighter. Feeling the trembling that still wouldn't subside, I made up my mind.

I rolled my eyes up and down once, left and right once, and then tightly grabbed his hand, which was trembling with anxiety.

"Run, Master!"

And I immediately turned around. Though I caught a glimpse of his face painted with bewilderment, I dragged him along and ran in the opposite direction. I heard belated "Huh? What?" sounds from behind, but I didn't stop running.

I ran with only his room as my goal. Holding his hand tightly.

Her fingers encased in white gloves were long and pretty. The ends hooked smoothly onto the round handle of the cup. The simple act of lifting the cup to her lips was truly elegant and beautiful. Her softly lowered purple eyes and the translucent, long golden hair that matched them drew my gaze.

It looked as if it were crafted from sugar. As if poking it and putting it in my mouth would reveal a sweet taste.

She, who was tucking her hair behind her ear, noticed me standing by the drawing room door and widened her eyes. Her enlarged purple eyes sparkled.

"...Pretty."

"Oh my, thank you."

She smiled shyly. Only then did I realize I had blurted out my inner thoughts. Out of embarrassment, I bowed my head and placed the refreshments I had brought in front of her. Then my rough hands caught my eye. My hands, with knuckles jutting out and covered in tiny scratches, looked so unsightly. I quickly curled my fingers to hide them and stood up.

As I briefly lifted my gaze, the purple eyes curved long and offered words of thanks again.

Her name was Violet Margaret. She was Vincent's fiancée.

And this was a sudden visit.

"I apologize for the inadequacy as I could not prepare separately. Please forgive me."

"It's alright. I came here uninvited."

She speaks so beautifully too. Do people with pretty faces have pretty hearts? Then a pretty face came to mind, and I erased the thought. The most beautiful woman I had known until now was the third, Alicia. Alicia's beauty was outstanding enough for the village lord's son to express his feelings. The problem was just that her personality was bad.

However, the woman before me exuded elegance even when standing still. Was this the dignity of a noble?

"I also came as I pleased, so you don't need to mind."

Ethan, who was beside her, added as he casually sipped his tea. It was absurd how he had visited again so soon after his last visit. Sensing my gaze, he smiled with his eyes and waved his hand.

"You must be the new person who came this time."

"That is correct."

Isabella winked at me. I withdrew my gaze from Ethan and bowed.

"It is nice to meet you. I am Paula....Please forgive my rudeness earlier."

"Oh my. No. Raise your head."

Despite her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠words, I bowed even deeper. A flustered voice came from above my head. Only after hearing her repeat that it was okay, really okay, did I straighten my bowed back. Then Violet smiled tenderly and spoke.

"Paula, it's nice to meet you. I am Violet Margaret. You can call me Violet."

If you are the one attending to Vincent, you are someone I should be grateful to as well. Saying so, she met my eyes and smiled radiantly. Her smiling face was also so pretty. To think there is someone so pretty and kind in this world.

"And you really don't have to do this. Rather, I was too hasty. It's not your fault, Paula."

"That's right. Don't feel too burdened."

A cheeky voice interjected from the side. My gaze, which had turned sharp, darted toward him. Ethan was also grinning. Because of what I had experienced with him so far, it only looked ominous.

"I've heard a lot about you."

At those words, when I looked back at Violet, she was staring intently at me. At that gaze, I unconsciously stroked my bangs that half-covered my face. I was worried she might have seen my ugly face.

"You are as kind as I heard."

I correct what I just said. She was simply too good of a person herself.

"Sit down too, Paula."

"I'm alright. I will stand."

"Then would you like to sit next to me?"

Ethan tapped the seat next to him. I frowned. But Isabella winked at me again. It meant to sit. In the end, I slightly placed my bottom on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the seat next to Ethan.

Ethan leaned toward me and whispered softly.

"It's nice to see you again."

"I can't say the same."

I also whispered softly and then gave him a slight push.