episode_0129

***

The winter of snow and fierce winds has now come to an end.

Although it was still cold, it was still worth walking around, and even people who had been confined to their homes came out on the streets until evening and unpacked their bundles of stories.

The first to announce that winter was coming to an end were the village drinkers. Seeing the drunken voices filling the streets again at night, it seemed like winter was over.

Now, four months after the festival, In-ho, who had finished writing, was in the process of writing a letter to the editor of the weekly magazine.

“Master, can I send it to you like this?”

Emma, who had tied her hair, which had grown quite long over the winter, neatly tied it up, said to Inho.

“Okay. Please do me a favor.”

In-ho, who had just finished writing the letter, put it in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Emma.

Emma did not leave the study immediately after receiving it.

It was because Inho called her.

“Written by me. Aren’t you curious?”

It was a piece of writing that I didn’t show to Emma while I was writing it.

Emma was secretly curious as she asked herself various questions, but as a servant she could not carelessly look at her master’s things, so she suppressed her curiosity.

“Gu, I’m curious.”

Emma, who had been giving honest answers more often since the festival, spoke shyly, and Inho called her aside with a deep smile.

“Now, this is it.”

“Oh… uh….”

Emma automatically tried to express admiration, but she couldn’t.

A manuscript filled with characters I have never seen before. Emma frowned.

“Master… is this?”

At first glance, it looked like meaningless scribbling, but the fact that it seemed to have its own rules did not seem to be due to Inho’s illness.

“This?”

As if he had anticipated Emma’s reaction, Inho pointed to the letters on the manuscript with his finger.

“These are the letters I learned when I was young.”

“Ah… I see. As expected, the owner knows a lot.”

“Yes. Because it is a work that requires very high security. I can’t let just anyone see it.”

Inho said while carefully stroking the manuscript.

“But master, in the end, you have to translate it for people to read it.”

“First, I will just send the synopsis to Mr. Ricardo, sign a serial contract, and then I will translate it again.”

“Eh… Is it from the weekly magazine? If it is clearly a masterpiece, you can sign another publishing contract.”

Inho had a triumphant expression on his face and twitched his fingers.

“It’s a place that provided a place for me to write serials when I wasn’t doing well. If I write again, I was planning to serialize it again in Lougheed Visen.”

“I see. As expected, the owner is kind.”

“Ah, that’s right. Emma.”

Inho took out a small piece of paper and wrote something down. It appeared to be identical to the text in his manuscript.

Inho, who wrote the text, handed the pen and paper to Emma.

“This is….”

Emma, who took the pen and paper, looked at him to know his intentions, and In-ho opened his mouth.

“The sentence written there is ‘When spring comes when flowers bloom.’ You might forget it, so make a note below.”

“Ah, yes.”

Underneath the sentence written by Inho, Emma picks up a pen and writes in her own text.

“But, master, why are you doing this to me…”

“First of all, I have it. You will find out everything.”

When Emma asked while writing down the sentence, Inho said something ambiguous.

Emma carefully put the piece of paper in her pocket and walked out the door.

“Master, would you like to buy some snacks?”

“Um, no. are you okay. I’ll have dinner soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Can I ask you to shave after dinner tonight?”

“It’s been a while since you did it. If you do it too often, it’s not good for your skin.”

“Just… I feel comfortable when Emma shaves me. I seem to be sleeping well.”

“Hehe, I understand. Then, instead of shaving, I will give you a massage.”

“Thank you. As expected, there is only Emma.”

“I only have the owner.”

Emma opened the study door.

“Emma.”

Inho grabbed her ankle again as she left.

“Yes?”

His face was momentarily obscured by the light coming through the window.

Due to the backlight, all that is visible is his smile.

Inho remained silent for a long time.

“Master?”

Just as Emma was about to ask what was going on, Inho interrupted her.

“Have a nice trip.”

Emma smiled slightly at the unexpected greeting.

“Yes, I will be back soon.”

***

“Oh, Miss Emma. Long time no see.”

“Yes, uncle. Please send it to ‘Loheed Visen Weekly’. The recipient is Mr. Ricardo from the editorial department. What was the fastest one?”

“Urgent delivery will be delivered today. By the way, as for the editorial department… Is Mr. Inho writing again?”

An employee with a stylish mustache leaned forward in excitement.

“Yes.”

Emma seemed happy too, smiling brightly and saying yes.

“Hey~ I’m glad you recovered your health. How heartbreaking it was to hear that Teacher Inho was not feeling well.”

“Now that you are serializing it again, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Okay, then. I’ll send it via urgent delivery, so I’ll only charge the basic fee. ”

“Yes?”

“You’re being rude and charging all the fees for such a happy event? Hey, I’m not that kind of person.”

“Thank you.”

Emma bowed and bowed.

As she left the post office, Emma grabbed the fur coat she wore over her maid uniform.

My body felt warm at the thought of my owner who bought me fur clothes.

‘I’m so glad.’

Emma thought as she dodged the slush created by melting ice on the street.

‘The owner is healthy, and the new work has been completed…”

As she was passing the dressing room, someone stopped Emma.

“Huh? Isn’t it Emma?”

“Oh, hello.”

The owner of the clothing store was displaying his products.

“Are those fur clothes okay? Teacher Inho bought it to give Emma to.”

In response to the owner’s question, Emma patted the fur coat a couple of times with a proud look on her face.

“Of course. It’s really warm.”

“Yes, I will be able to wear spring clothes soon. When you wear it, stop by the dressing room sometime. I’ll give you a pair of shoes for cheap.”

“Okay. By the way, are you displaying spring clothes now?”

“That’s right. Because spring is coming now. By the way, didn’t Teacher Inho need spring clothes too?”

Emma thought about the state of her closet for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes. I need it.”

“I have a few pairs for men. Do you want to live now?”

At the owner’s words, Emma touched her pocket.

Since she had only brought money to send the mail, her pockets were empty.

“Ah… I didn’t bring any money today. Sorry.”

“Well, I can buy it next time anyway. I’ll be waiting.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Emma nodded and hurried on her way.

It’s already been 30 minutes since we left the mansion.

***

After entering the mansion, Emma hurried up to the second floor.

squeak, squeak, squeak

Leaving behind the sounds coming from the old wooden stairs, Emma stood in front of the study.

After In-ho collapsed on the street, I couldn’t get over the anxiety I felt when I was separated from him.

Look at this. Even now, my heart is pounding, perhaps because I still feel anxious.

Emma thought so.

“Hmm, hmm, hmm.”

Emma cleared her throat.

smart

She knocked on the study door.

“Master, I have been there.”

There is no answer.

Thinking he might have gone somewhere else, I opened the study and found Inho nowhere to be seen.

“Did you go to your room?”

Emma turned and headed toward Inho’s room.

smart

This time I knocked on the bedroom door.

“Master. This is Emma.”

There is no answer.

Emma carefully opened the door.

Emma stuck her head into the slightly open door and looked left and right.

When she saw the figure rising from the bed, she opened the door wide and entered the room.

“You look sleepy.”

Well, you must be tired because you’ve been sleeping late lately because you’ve been writing.

She muttered lowly.

When her feet stopped near the bed, she felt something strange.

“Uh…?”

She approached her owner with brisk steps.

“…Huh?”

A curious voice came out of her mouth.

The body of her owner, who was obviously sleeping, was strangely motionless.

She calmed her trembling hands and placed her finger on Inho’s nose.

It was definitely right to feel me breathing slightly.

I don’t feel anything.

“…uh…eh?”

I feel like the blood in my whole body is drying up.

My legs lose their strength and I flop down next to the bed.

“Lord, master?”

I called out to the owner with a trembling voice, but Inho didn’t even move.

I fumble with the bed and lift the blanket.

The owner’s bony arms are visible.

hold his arm

A temperature of coldness, without even the slightest sense of warmth, is conveyed to my fingertips.

“Lord, master!”

There is no need to worry that the owner will wake up. No, she cried out, hoping that her master would wake up.

Despite her cries full of urgency, the owner showed no sign of getting up.

“Master. I’m here. Here comes Emma. Master, are you sleeping? Are you so tired that you fell into a deep sleep? sorry. I don’t mean to disturb your sleep, master. But…”

She slightly lifts her body and puts it on the bed.

Her face rests on Inho’s chest.

“But… please stand up just once. And can you please go back to sleep? Please. master. Master….”

She cried out, rubbing her face.

“Ha… Ha… If you sleep now… I won’t give you a massage in the evening. So… wake up.”

“Spring, let’s go buy spring clothes. Master.”

I felt like something sharp was sticking into my chest.

“Master, Emma is here. master. Ah… master!”

“Master!!!!!”

The woman’s sorrowful cries echoed hollowly in the mansion.

Winter was coming to an end.