Chapter 44
The Count's Secret Maid - Chapter 44
Translation: godsn
"There's a fountain ahead. Shall we sit here?"
"Fine."
Since there was no proper place to sit, I settled him on the fountain's edge before taking a seat beside him. The splashing water behind us sprayed against our backs.
It was quite cold. Hunching my shoulders, I glanced at him. Both of us were in nightwear, so warmth was hardly guaranteed. I debated whether to drape my shawl over him—but when I tried, he shook his head in refusal.
"No need."
"But you're dressed so lightly. Please take it—you must be cold."
"I don't need it. You wear it."
"...... And here I thought you were frail."
The moment I muttered my concern, his expression darkened at once. With an irritable motion, he practically flung the shawl back into my lap. The fact that he was throwing a tantrum suggested he'd calmed down somewhat.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes."
"What nightmare did you have tonight?"
"I dreamed of the day I lost my sight."
A nightmare so painfully vivid. I couldn't bring myself to ask further and sealed my lips. As our conversation lapsed, only the sound of falling fountain water filled the darkness. I idly swung my legs while he stared blankly into space.
"I couldn't sleep because I kept remembering what happened at the party."
"Why?"
"Because it was so much fun. That giddy feeling still hasn't left me."
Even now, if I closed my eyes, the grand hall unfolded before me, the classical music resonating. No—even with my eyes open, it was there. I let the corners of my lips curl into a faint smile.
"It was my first time wearing a dress like that. No, actually, it was the first time I'd ever seen such a beautiful dress. Violet offered to give it to me as a gift, but I refused. It didn't feel like it suited me, and it was too extravagant to accept."
"Violet has more dresses than anyone could count. No one would bat an eye if you took one."
"Still, it's too precious for someone like me."
It was undeniably a beautiful dress. The kind any woman would long to wear at least once. But because I wore it, it felt like its beauty had dulled. Had Violet worn it, the dress would have shone even brighter.
"I'm satisfied just having tried it on."
"You've no greed for clothes, then."
"It's not that I don't—it's just that they look better on someone they suit."
Besides, even if I took it, where would I wear it? There was no one to show it to. So it was better for Violet to have it—that way, it would hold real value. Just having worn it once was more than enough for me.
"Dancing was so hard, too. You had to step like this, and this—"
I fumbled through the steps Lucas had taught me earlier, mimicking the motions. My hands had to move just so, I demonstrated, striking a pose. Violet danced well, Lucas and Ethan were in a league of their own, and even Vincent—blind as he was—moved smoothly. But for me, it was nothing but struggle.
"Ugh, I'll never get the hang of it."
Slumping back onto the ground, I retraced the steps from the party—only to tangle my feet immediately. I shook my head vigorously. If it were just freestyle, I could manage fine. Dancing with Violet had been pure joy because there were no formalities.
"But Lucas was amazing!"
Unlike my clumsy self, his movements had been effortlessly fluid. Guiding me, he never faltered. Following his lead, I'd even deluded myself into thinking I was good at dancing. Of course, it was just a delusion. Remembering how many times I'd stepped on his toes deflated my buoyant mood instantly.
"No, I mean, I did try my best to dance..." I muttered under my breath, just as Vincent suddenly stood up. Without warning, he thrust his hand toward me. My widened eyes fixed on his outstretched fingers.
"What is it?"
"Give me your hand."
"Huh?"
"Let's dance."
M-me? With you? I found myself stammering unintentionally. Vincent nodded in response.
"Why?"
"Because I want to dance."
"But why?"
"You don't want to?"
It's not that I don't want to... but still...
I hesitated, staring at his hand. I'd never learned to dance properly, never had the chance. During my dance with Lucas, I'd lost count of how many times I'd stepped on his feet. They were probably swollen enough to last through the night. Though Lucas tried not to show it, I could see his growing discomfort as time passed.
My hand hovered uncertainly, unable to take his. Seeing my hesitation, Vincent placed one hand behind his back and gave a slight bow.
"May I have this dance?"
"......"
His steady emerald eyes gazed at me patiently. I fidgeted with my fingers.
"B-but what if I step on your feet? I'm really bad at this..."
"I'll forgive you once."
"What if I step on them twice?"
"I'll consider what to do about that."
"For the sake of our mutual peace, let's not dance. My life is precious too."
"I was joking. You can step on them."
He extended his hand further, wiggling his fingers impatiently.
"It's not like I'll ever have occasion to dance again anyway. Let's just leave it as a nice memory."
"How bad could you possibly be? Are you really that unconfident?"
"Yes. I'm truly terrible at dancing."
At this point, I answered honestly. Still, he didn't back down.
"Just follow my lead."
"I'm really, really bad."
"Understood. I'll dance slowly so you can keep up, and you watch our surroundings for me. Since I can't see, you'll have to help me."
He wiggled his fingers again. There was no sign of retreat. Come on, his eyes urged me. I swallowed dryly as I looked at him. My hesitation was brief yet felt endless. The giddy excitement I'd felt earlier in the afternoon wrapped around me again.
Clutching my pounding chest, I finally took his hand. Then I led him to the opposite side of the fountain.
Facing each other, my throat clicked with nervous swallows. He placed one hand on my back and raised our joined hands with the other. Our distance closed. As our bodies brushed lightly, I instinctively leaned back slightly and placed my hand on his shoulder. Having danced once already today, assuming the position wasn't difficult.
He stepped sideways. My feet clumsily followed his. That was the beginning. Our bodies spun in harmony, turning round and round. When he moved in the opposite direction, I mirrored his movements. Clumsily, but in time with him. True to his word, he led me at an incredibly slow pace.
Lucas had corrected my missteps by giving directions each time. But Vincent didn't tell me to do this or that. Instead, he guided me calmly, letting me follow naturally. Though I was always a beat behind, keeping up wasn't hard.
Still, having practiced this afternoon made my footwork slightly smoother. But that didn't mean I'd become good at it. Moreover, I wasn't wearing a beautiful dress now, nor elegant shoes—just a white negligee, a shawl against the cold, and cheap shoes that matched my station. He too wore sleepwear and a robe instead of a tailcoat.
If anyone saw us now, they might mistake us for ghosts and scream. At that thought, I let out a quiet "pfft" of laughter, making Vincent's eyebrows arch quizzically, as if asking why I was laughing.
"If someone were to see the master and me like this, they'd probably scream."
"They'd think we're ghosts."
"Yes, pfft."
It seemed he had imagined the same thing, as a smile played on his lips.
As our bodies twirled, the negligee fluttered, brushing against my skin. My gaze drifted upward to the sky where stars were falling.
The world sparkled brilliantly. The stars descending over the mansion transformed into chandeliers, and the sound of the fountain became classical music. This place was a hall, and we were dancing. It was no different from the hall this afternoon.
The sensations of this moment once again made my heart flutter.
Stars fell from the sky. It felt as though they were enveloping him and me. Then, the touch of fabric grazing my skin, the warmth of our clasped hands, the cool breeze rustling through my hair, and the man standing before me—all of it felt different from usual.
Everything around us shimmered.
I was happy.
Blissfully, deliriously happy.
"You dance well."
"You taught me well."
"It must be because the teacher was good."
"It's because the student is exceptional."
I shrugged my shoulders. But people tend to make mistakes when they let their guard down. My foot stepped firmly on his instep.
"I'm sorry."
His expression soured instantly. I quickly pulled my foot back, but his mouth didn't hesitate to voice his displeasure.
"Your feet are too slow."
"Please choose—either compliment me or scold me, but not both."
"I was about to praise you, but then you got careless like this."
"Mistakes happen. You're really mean."
As I grumbled, he shrugged his shoulders. All the while, we continued spinning in circles.
"It's not meanness—it's honesty."
"Being too honest isn't charming."
"My charm comes from that honesty."
"What kind of terrifying thing is that to say? Now that I think about it, Violet was surprised when she saw you grumbling for the first time. Really, just how much have you been hiding your temper for no one to realize how ill-natured you are?"
"Bold of you."
"Boldness is part of my charm."
"Hmph. No wonder you dare flap your mouth in front of me."
"Only because of the master's great generosity do I dare to do so."
I fired back without missing a beat. And as we bantered, both of us were laughing. Light laughter echoed around us. If anyone heard, they might have shrieked and run away—a man and a woman, spinning under the moonlight, giggling like fools.
A stronger breeze swept past. The refreshing sensation made me tilt my head back. I felt good. Savoring the feeling, I closed my eyes.
Then, suddenly, my body lurched.
"Huh?"
"Whoa—?"
He toppled backward. At the same time, I followed suit. When one person loses balance, the collapse is instantaneous. In the blink of an eye, we were sucked into the fountain.
Water rushed into my nostrils. Flailing my limbs, I barely managed to plant my feet on the bottom. When I finally exhaled the trapped air, a coughing fit seized me. I coughed repeatedly, tears and snot streaming down my face before I could regain my senses.
Looking around, I was stunned. We had actually fallen into the fountain. No—how distracted had we been while dancing that we didn't even notice jumping into the water? Glancing at Vincent, he looked just as bewildered.
"You—"
"I'm sorry. Achoo!"
"......."
I sneezed and curled into myself. My clothes were soaked and heavy. The breeze that had felt cool earlier now chilled me to the bone. Another series of sneezes burst out.
But some of them weren't mine. Vincent was sneezing too. And like me, he hunched over. Soon enough, I sneezed again.
After sneezing in unison, we looked at each other. Both of us were as drenched as drowned rats.
Suddenly, laughter erupted.
I was the first to burst out laughing. And then, so did he. Somehow, I just couldn't hold it in.