Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Lone Wolf's Hideaway
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lara's ragged breaths scattered through the empty corridor.
"Hah... hah."
Lara was running down the mansion's long corridor.
Unlike yesterday, when she'd prepared excuses, right now Lara was clearly defying Theodor's orders.
'As long as I can just confirm that Theo is safe. That's all.'
She'd repeated it to herself countless times already. Just check if Theo was safe. That would be enough. The image of that lonely, desolate wolf wouldn't leave her mind.
The wolf that appeared from the first page of the fairy tale book had always been so proud and handsome, but the wolf on the new page was different. He looked so tormented and alone.
Though she couldn't see his face because he'd turned toward the cave, he was surely weeping alone with lonely, sad eyes. Just like Lara once had.
Strangely, that image reminded her of Theo.
"I'll just confirm Theo is safe... and then go straight back to my room."
It was just a scene from a fairy tale book. It was something Lara cherished, but it was merely a book filled with black-and-white illustrations. Nothing more than a fairy tale... So why did it make her feel so anxious?
Lara felt like she was acting childish, like a little kid with nothing better to do. Applying a fairy tale story to reality? What nonsense was that?
Besides, Lara hadn't even read many fairy tales. She could barely read. For someone like her to get scared over a story in a book and disobey Theo's command—it was something she shouldn't do...
"Hoo..."
The feeling in her chest was frustrating, something she couldn't even explain clearly to herself. Lara paused, out of breath. It had been years since she'd run like this—ever since she was little and tried to run away from the orphanage, only to get caught by Director Laden. She didn't like thinking about that day. One of the scars still on her body was from then.
'Let's think. Where could Theo be right now?'
Lara placed her hands on her knees and took slow, deep breaths.
Of course, the biggest problem was how to find Theodor in such a vast mansion. And the building was divided into the main house, the annex, two large structures, and various smaller facilities. At this rate, she'd never find him.
'I definitely didn't see Theo in the main house yesterday.'
There were no signs of anyone having been there, no missing food. Everything was exactly as it had been when Theodor had shown her around with him.
Lara recalled her conversation with Theodor.
'I'll be in another part of the mansion during that time. A place you couldn't find anyway.'
'...'
'Don't defy my orders, Lara. No matter what sounds you hear, no matter what happens, go back to your room. Close the door and get under the covers. Until it all passes.'
He'd said he'd be somewhere she couldn't find. Where could that be? Lara looked down at the map she'd brought when leaving her room. It only showed the main house where she stayed.
The main house and annex were both similarly massive buildings. The dining hall was in the annex, but aside from the glass greenhouse, terrace, and dining hall that Theodor had taken her to, Lara knew little about it.
Getting lost there would be a real problem. She might end up sleeping in a hallway or on some stairs again, unable to find her way back.
"Still..."
Lara steeled herself and folded the map, tucking it into her pocket.
If Theodor was in the annex, she'd have no choice but to go there.
To find the wolf that had hidden alone deep in a cave, she'd have to enter the cave, after all.
At least, that's how Lara saw it.
She let out a slow breath and gazed toward the annex.
"I'll find Theo."
She wouldn't leave him alone and lonely.
Never.
Before heading to the annex, Lara stopped by the main house's small pantry and filled a basket with food.
Thinking back to their meals together, Theodor always ate with elegant perfection but in much larger portions than her. And it wasn't just him—everyone here ate far more than Lara did.
She remembered how, when she first arrived, he'd told her to eat more, and she'd tried hard to keep up. In the end, a smaller plate had been prepared just for her.
Lost in such thoughts, she filled the basket until it was overflowing. She couldn't carry any more, so Lara picked it up and left the room.
She headed toward the side where the annex's terrace they'd eaten on looked small in the distance.
The snow that had started falling last night showed no sign of stopping today; it was already up to her ankles. With no one to clear it, the ground was frozen and slippery. Lara took careful steps to avoid slipping.
"Ah...!"
But her efforts couldn't stop her from falling with a thud. The snow had piled up and partially frozen, much slipperier than she'd thought. It hit her anew how the paths between the main house and annex were always so well-cleared thanks to the mansion's staff.
Lara gritted her teeth against the pain and first checked the food in the basket. Luckily, it was wrapped in paper. Otherwise, it would have been ruined. Even if she met Theo, she couldn't give him messy food. Theo was...
"That must hurt. Your knee's bleeding."
"...!"
The unfamiliar voice startled Lara, freezing her in place.
She watched, barely breathing, as the apple she'd been scrambling to pick up rolled away again.
It rolled right to someone's feet, and the owner of that unfamiliar voice casually picked it up.
"Looks like a tasty apple. Nice and fresh, too..."
"... "
"Hard to find apples this fresh in weather like this."
The man's snow-white hair, tied loosely in a single ponytail, swayed with his movements. Lara stared blankly at him. A ornate eyepatch crossed one side of his face, and his exposed eye was a vivid yellow.
Dazed by the eyepatch and his peculiar aura, Lara just looked up at him.
As she stood there frozen, the man shrugged.
"I haven't heard that the 'Bride of the Wolf' is mute. Interesting."
Snapping to her senses, Lara slowly backed away. This wasn't the time to admire some stranger's eyepatch. His visible eye was smiling, but it exuded a strange pressure, and fear gripped her suddenly.
"Who... who are you?"
"Ah, not mute after all? Good."
He flashed a grin, but somehow it made Lara's skin crawl even more.
The man looked dangerous from every angle. Her heart pounded fiercely. Trying her best to stay calm, she asked,
"How did you get in here?"
"Good question. How did I get in? Me, in Theodor's Aren mansion. What a curious thing."
He bit into the apple with a crunch, answering leisurely.
At the mention of Theodor's name, Lara froze.
"...You know Theo?"
"Theo? That's what you call him? How affectionate."
The man chuckled as if amused. He didn't seem inclined to answer her questions properly.
Lara's mind raced. This stranger seemed to know Theo. And he'd even said 'Bride of the Wolf'.
But she couldn't tell if he was a friend or foe.
Was he here to find Theo? Or to harm him?
Lara didn't know exactly where Theodor was, but she had a bad feeling this man shouldn't meet him.
His single eye fixed on her, overwhelming her. It was terrifying. Goosebumps rose unbidden.
Why? Because she was alone with a stranger in an empty mansion?
"Theo isn't here. Come back another time."
Lara forced her voice not to tremble, pretending to be composed. The last thing she wanted was to provoke him.
"I don't know how to entertain guests, so..."
"You're a really amusing little one."
She'd mustered the courage for a quiet plea, but he cut her off midway.
The man stared intently at her one eye, half-obscured by her ambiguously long hair.
It was a habit from her orphanage days. Her hidden eye never brought good reactions, so she'd grown her hair out to cover it as much as possible.
"And more unique than I thought. I like it."
"... "
He said 'unique' like he was appraising merchandise. Lara sensed it instinctively.
She backed away slowly.
Noticing her attempt to flee, the man smirked mockingly.
"Where to?"
"... "
"You shouldn't turn your back on me if you can help it, little miss. Or should I say, 'Bride of the Wolf'?"
Juice dripped from the bitten apple. As Lara's gaze flicked there, he slowly approached her.
"I've waited too long, bride. I hate games of hide-and-seek like this."
Lara's eyes shook violently.
With every word he spoke, it became clearer.
Lara was in danger. Undeniably.