Chapter 62: You Love Me, Don’t You?

Chapter 62: You Love Me, Don’t You?

Scarlett had a dream.

She dreamt of crying alone in a dark room.

She was curled up.

There was no one around.

And, watching her, was none other than Scarlett herself.

“Ap-pa.. Hwooooong..”

Little Scarlett cried very sorrowfully.

In front of the tightly closed door, she called out for her parents who wouldn’t come.

She was only about 10 years old.

At her feet, a half-eaten pizza gave off a delicious aroma.

It was definitely Henry’s special pizza.

Grind.

It was a scene she didn’t want to recall.

Scarlett bit her lips and sat in front of little Scarlett.

Even when stared at silently, little Scarlett’s expression didn’t change.

She just cried sorrowfully, waiting for someone’s help.

Creak-

How long did she cry like that?

A part of the tightly closed door opened, and someone’s face appeared.

At the same time, little Scarlett’s expression brightened.

“Dad!”

As if she hadn’t been crying so sorrowfully just moments ago.

She immediately ran out and thrust her face into the opened gap.

The person who came to see little Scarlett was a man.

Red hair and a gentle expression.

Even his distinctive blue eyes.

He was a man who needed no introduction.

“..Did you eat well?”

Even with little Scarlett’s affectionate face, his first words were a formal greeting about her meal.

Then little Scarlett smiled sweetly.

And then, forcing herself to laugh out loud.

“Yes! It was delicious!”

She answered energetically.

Yes, it was delicious. How foolishly.

Scarlett thought.

“Good. I’m glad you ate well. Can you give me the plate? I’ll bring you an even more delicious pizza next time.”

At the man’s words, little Scarlett quickly handed him the plate.

“Thank you. I’ll be back tonight, so you must be good, okay?”

“Wait, wait a moment… Dad.”

“Yes?”

As the man was about to leave immediately.

Little Scarlett hurriedly called out to the man.

“Um, well…”

“What is it? Tell me.”

The man’s expression was very gentle.

Nevertheless, little Scarlett seemed quite anxious.

As if even a slip of the tongue was not allowed.

“I want to go… outside.”

She said in a very cautious voice.

“That again?”

But.

The man responded with a chilling voice instead.

Flintch.

Little Scarlett’s body trembled pitifully.

“It’s too stuffy in the room. I want to go out and play with Dad…”

“Scarlett.”

Simultaneously, a sharp silence ensued.

The man stretched out his hand and firmly gripped little Scarlett’s shoulder.

Little Scarlett couldn’t resist at all.

She just trembled.

“I told you, didn’t I? There are too many dangerous things outside.”

“Kkeuk, hiccup.. I don’t want to be alone… I’m so scared…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Scarlett. Dad is doing this because he loves you. Right?”

Swoosh. The hand gripping her shoulder loosened, and he gently stroked little Scarlett.

Then little Scarlett lowered her head.

“..Yes.”

“This isn’t to confine you or to scare you. Scarlett, you are too precious, so if I don’t do this, Dad can’t even sleep without worrying.”

As if whispering affection to his own daughter.

The man continued in a warm, calm tone.

“You don’t want Dad to have a hard time, do you?”

“No.. I don’t.”

“Yes. That’s my daughter.”

Slurp.

The man kissed little Scarlett’s forehead after finishing his words.

Little Scarlett smiled bashfully for a moment.

“Then, I’ll come see you again later. Be good until then.”

Clack.

She stared blankly at the closed door.

Then she crawled onto the bed without a word and pulled the blanket over herself.

In the dark room, there was only suffocating silence.

Scarlett thought she was going to drown in the silence while watching it.

“I don’t want Dad to have a hard time…”

And then, she muttered in a small voice.

“I don’t want Dad to have a hard time… Dad shouldn’t have a hard time…”

She muttered again.

“Dad loves me… I am loved…”

And then again.

Again and again. After muttering for a long time, she returned to the first sentence and started again.

Madly, she kept muttering like that.

Biting her fingernails and trembling like an aspen tree with her slender shoulders.

Scarlett stared at the scene.

“..Lies.”

She said, looking at little Scarlett, though it was unclear who she was talking to.

And then, she stretched out both hands.

And grabbed little Scarlett’s neck as she lay down.

“Euk, kek..”

The girl, trying to withstand Scarlett’s strength with her small, delicate neck.

But all she could do was helplessly flail her legs.

The strength in her hands increased, and her resistance weakened.

“Kek, kek.. Kkeuk.. Kkeok..!”

And then, as little Scarlett finally went limp.

“..Huff.”

Her eyes flew open.

There were no precursors at all.

Her eyes just opened, and she realized that what had just happened was a dream.

“Huff, huff..”

Scarlett, who had sat up abruptly, panted heavily.

Her body was drenched in cold sweat.

In the midst of that terrible feeling, she didn’t have the mental capacity to distinguish whether Cecil had left the room or not.

She covered her face with her hands for a moment.

“Cecil… loves me.”

“I, I…”

The words she heard in the dream were stuck in her mind and wouldn’t disappear.

Why, exactly? I thought I had forgotten.

“I…”

Scarlett stammered, pressing her face firmly with her fingers.

“I am loved…”

She poured out her old emotions in a pitiful and mournful way.

****

“Iyah~ I’m so sorry. I suddenly saw something, so I thought it was a strange person… Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Ah, yes..”

I stared at the woman who was cheerfully chattering with a bewildered expression.

She had a neat ponytail and an impression that she was clearly excited, at first glance.

She was wearing cute animal pajamas, as if she had just gotten out of bed, which was a bit ridiculous.

Her height was about 180cm, which was enormous.

I was truly terrified when someone grabbed my face earlier.

Because I had a close call once while wandering around the mansion before.

However, the difference from that time was that the bastard who tried to devour me was a sex-starved rapist.

And this person was just hungry.

The woman was chewing on the remaining steak with a beaming smile.

For some reason, I was also cutting the steak along with her, drawn by her momentum.

“Umm..”

“Hm? What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“No. It’s just… I was surprised.”

“Hahahaha! I was surprised too! Who would have thought Young Lady would be in the kitchen at this hour?”

The woman, who laughed heartily, swallowed the second steak in one bite.

The reason she was here was simple.

She was secretly rummaging through the kitchen because she was hungry, and she happened to spot me in the wheelchair.

It was dark, and because I was in a wheelchair, my silhouette looked large, so she mistook me for a hulking monster crouching down.

‘I almost died..’

I touched my still throbbing neck with my hand.

When she grabbed my head, the woman had tried to twist my neck and break it.

Although she stopped midway thanks to the softer touch of her lips compared to a man’s.

It still hurts.

Her movements were clean, so she must have learned some kind of martial art.

“But… is it okay to eat like this?”

As the woman scooped up three servings of steak.

I asked with a slightly puzzled face.

Even if it’s leftovers, is it okay to do that?

The woman swallowed the steak and continued.

“It’s okay! The chef said we could come to the kitchen and eat if we were hungry!”

‘She seems close to the chef…’

Well, even though I’ve only seen her for about 10 minutes.

Someone so cheerful and friendly would easily get along with anyone.

I finished all my steak.

And gulped down some cold water.

“Puha..”

“Were you very thirsty?”

“Um… Yes. I get thirsty before bed…”

“Are you talking about having sex with Scarlett Young Lady?”

“Khugh!”

With such a direct question, I accidentally swallowed the water I was drinking again.

“Kek, khek.. Kek..”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I meant to choose my words more carefully, but…”

‘The whole neighborhood must know by now…’

I coughed painfully and then sighed deeply.

Come to think of it, that man said the same thing before.

He said he couldn’t sleep at night because of my moans.

I lowered my blushing face and smiled faintly.

“Did… my voice get a little loud..?”

“Ah, I’m fine. Besides, everyone knows Young Lady is Scarlett Young Lady’s woman.”

The woman added playfully, “Though your moans sounded quite good.”

It’s even more embarrassing to witness this right in front of me.

Yet, my body remembers the pleasure from that time.

My lower body is getting wet.

“Cough, cough… Um… the steak is delicious. Even though it’s cold.”

“Hahaha… Right. The only thing we’re satisfied with in this mansion is the chef’s cooking.”

When I changed the subject to ease the awkwardness.

The woman readily joined in.

By the way, I heard that all the servants in this mansion are from prison.

Suddenly, curiosity arose.

“But… sister, what’s your name?”

“Aileen. You can just call me ‘Ail’ comfortably.”

Aileen smiled with a very excited expression.

“Um… Can I ask you just one thing?”

“It’s okay. If it’s Young Lady’s question, I can tell you your underwear color, and the spot that makes you make good noises when poked. Ask me anything!

‘Why is she telling me about my erogenous zones…’

The more I see her, the more I think she’s a crazy and strange person.

Anyway, I cleared my throat and asked my question.

“Are all the people here… from prison?”

“Huh? Did you know? That’s right! To be precise, they are former death row inmates!”

“D-death row inmates..?”

What is it?

I only asked out of curiosity, but I feel like I’ve heard something incredible.

“So, it’s very, very dangerous to wander around the kitchen like this in the middle of the night without the chef.”

Roar! Aileen made a beastly imitation with both hands, her face playful.

Looking at her like that, it seems both serious and not serious.

It’s puzzling.

“I see…”

I don’t know how to respond.

Aileen just looked at me, who was slightly flustered.

“..Now that we’ve finished eating, I should get going. I’ll push Young Lady to Scarlett Young Lady’s room, so you can sleep comfortably.”

She slowly got up from her seat.

“Ah, thank you. Going uphill is a bit difficult, you know.”

Is she trying to change the subject?

I don’t know.

But what’s certain is that Aileen in front of me is also a former death row inmate.

Judging by the familiar scent in her tone.

She might be from the military.

Thus, with Aileen’s help, I was able to head to Scarlett’s room.

I slowly got out of the wheelchair and into the bed.

It wasn’t intentional, but I filled my stomach and quenched my thirst.

I should be able to sleep soundly tonight.

But.

Thump.

“..Young Lady?”

Scarlett, who I thought was asleep, grabbed my arm.

I was slightly startled and held my breath.

Scarlett’s eyes, as she gazed at me, lacked life.

A thousand thoughts flashed through my mind.

Then, they subsided.

‘She won’t have found out that my physical condition has recovered this much.’

If not, for what reason is she awake?

Before I could get the answer.

Scarlett hugged me tightly without a word.

What is it? It was just sleep talking.

Just as I reached that thought.

“Augh..!”

I felt a sharp pain in my back.

Gugugug-

Along with the sound of flesh being scraped, a sticky liquid flowed.

“Young, Lady.. Eut, kkeuk..!”

My mind went blank at the incomprehensible situation.

Especially because Scarlett had never hurt my body before.

I can’t let her know about my physical condition, so I can’t resist.

I gritted my teeth and looked at her in pain.

Then, Scarlett.

“..Cecil.”

“Please let go of this-“

“You love me, right?”

She uttered an incomprehensible sentence.