Chapter 132: Side Story – Scarlett’s Father

Chapter 132: Side Story – Scarlett’s Father

Gale Friedman took the cigar from his hand.

“…My Lord. Here is the tea you requested.”

A burly man with a smooth head entered his office.

Unlike other servants, he showed no fear towards Gale.

In fact, he seemed comfortable.

Gale looked at Henry with languid eyes,

And spoke in a calm, low voice.

“Thank you. Leave it here.”

Henry approached Gale’s desk only after receiving permission.

He placed the sweet-smelling tea and smiled brightly.

“This tea is made by brewing anti-depressant herbs and flowers. You should be able to sleep soundly today.”

“Did you add snow mushroom? It smelled good.”

“Yes, I did. I also added a little sugar.”

“Good. You’re the only one who knows my taste. It’s late, so you should go to bed.”

Henry observed Gale’s satisfied expression and bowed his head.

Just as he was about to leave the office,

He suddenly turned his head.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“How has Young Lady’s condition been lately?”

“Scarlett? She’s doing well.”

Gale looked as if he didn’t understand.

Henry smiled wryly at his expression.

“…I wonder if she ate well.”

“If you’re that curious, why don’t you go see? I heard crying sounds near her room.”

“Understood…”

Gale’s expression was perfectly serene.

Henry moved his lips, but couldn’t say anything.

He simply left the office without a word.

He sighed and went up to the room where Scarlett was staying.

He had chocolates for her in his pocket.

It was getting late, so perhaps she was already asleep.

“Hoo..”

His expression was dark as he went upstairs.

‘I don’t understand.’

It wasn’t like this from the beginning.

Everything started when Gale’s wife passed away from illness.

After that, he became excessively obsessed with Scarlett’s ‘safety.’

He installed bars on her room so she couldn’t leave.

He installed magic tools inside to monitor Scarlett’s actions.

Outings were limited to occasional walks.

Because of this, the only time Scarlett could feel the presence of others was when Henry and Lucy visited her room.

“Hic, hic.. Papa.. Appa..”

As he approached Scarlett’s room,

A sound of sobbing uncontrollably spread around.

Henry’s expression immediately stiffened.

She was still crying.

He wanted to bring Lucy, but it was Lucy’s bedtime.

She was still growing, so she slept a lot.

“…Young Lady.”

Henry quickly changed his expression by rubbing his face.

He stood before Scarlett with the most gentle and comfortable expression possible.

“Henry..?”

Scarlett, who had been sobbing uncontrollably, immediately reacted.

She wiped her eyes and ran to the bars blocking the room entrance.

Several toys were scattered nearby.

Her eyes were red, so she must have been crying for a long time.

Henry took out a handkerchief and reached it through the bars.

“Young Lady. Please lend me your face.”

Then Scarlett quickly poked her face out.

As if starved for human touch, she rubbed her cheek against Henry’s hand.

Her red bob haircut swayed with her movements.

Henry calmly wiped Scarlett’s face,

And then handed her the chocolate he had prepared.

“Hehe.. Chocolate..”

She smiled bashfully with tear-stained cheeks, so happy to see the chocolate.

She picked up the chocolate with her small hands,

And bowed her head to Henry.

“Thank you.”

She seemed to have bitten her tongue slightly, as she winced and moved her hand.

But then, she moved her small hand and unwrapped the chocolate.

Basrak-

As she moved her lips and took a bite of the chocolate, happiness spread across Scarlett’s face.

Henry watched her with a pleased expression.

He wiped away the smeared tears and looked at her with warm eyes.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes! It’s delicious. It’s very delicious.”

She smiled brightly, as if her earlier tears had vanished.

Scarlett chewed the chocolate diligently and then lifted her head.

She had the liveliness unique to children.

She cried easily and laughed easily.

Even while confined, she hadn’t lost her childlike nature.

Henry felt a strange lump in his throat.

“But, Mister Henry. Why didn’t Lucy come?”

“Lucy is sleeping right now. It’s late at night.”

“Hiiing.. I want to play with Lucy..”

“I’ll bring her with me when I bring breakfast tomorrow morning. Lucy said she misses Young Lady too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Really. So, play with me today… and play with Lucy tomorrow. Okay?”

“Yes!”

Scarlett nodded immediately at his gentle voice.

She’s a lovely child, Henry thought.

He then sat down on the spot and chatted with Scarlett from outside the bars.

Scarlett chattered away, telling many stories.

Stories about a butterfly flying in from outside the window, and about a bee that flew in, so she had to close the window tightly.

And that the sunset was incredibly beautiful.

It must be stuffy to be in the room, but she hasn’t lost her vitality.

Only Lucy can open the bars and enter.

Gale made that rule, and it must not be broken.

Once, a servant with special wall-climbing abilities tried to open the bars.

Since it’s a mansion that uses prisoners, there was a possibility.

And that servant was dismembered by Gale himself.

His body was hung in front of the mansion, and he lived for 7 hours.

After that, no servant dared to approach Scarlett’s room.

This was also why Henry personally brought her food and spent time with her.

“And then, and then, I said hello to the dog outside…”

Scarlett, full of excitement, chattered incessantly for about 2 hours.

How much time had passed like that?

As Scarlett was talking, her eyes began to close, and her voice grew softer.

“Hmmyaaa.. And then.. on the tree bark.. there was a bug..”

Kong-

“Hiyak..!”

Scarlett, who had been dozing off while sitting, ended up hitting her head on the bars.

She rubbed her forehead and made a slightly sad face.

She was clearly very sleepy, as she yawned and looked disappointed.

“I think I need to go to sleep now. I’m sleepy..”

“I’ll come again tomorrow, Young Lady. Then please go to sleep.”

“Yes.. You too, have a good night..”

At Henry’s words, Scarlett scurried to the bed.

Then she flopped onto the bed,

And immediately drifted off to dreamland.

Henry, watching her, stifled a chuckle.

‘Truly… a lovely child…’

He hadn’t married, but he wondered if this was what it felt like to have a child.

He felt regret that he couldn’t lay Scarlett down on the bed and stood up.

To think that even after playing so hard and falling asleep, he couldn’t even move her to the bed.

It was sad.

Tomorrow, he would have to pay attention to the morning. And give her some sweet snacks too.

Thinking so, Henry walked towards his room.

****

“…Did I just hear something wrong?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to remove the bars from Young Lady’s room…”

“That’s an interesting thing to say after so long. Did you steal and eat my medicine?”

“No. Young Lady is almost nine years old now, and it would be healthier for her to play outside at least-“

Chae-gang!

Henry, who was speaking precisely, clutched his head.

What hit his head and shattered was the tea Henry had brought earlier.

The hot liquid spilled onto the floor, contorting his face.

“Kkeueuk..”

“Hmm… I guess I’m getting old. Even when people talk, I can’t hear them well.”

Gale’s cold gaze conveyed his meaning simply.

Henry moved his lips, trying to say something,

But then he lowered his head and sighed.

“…I apologize. I was presumptuous.”

“Yes. That’s how you should be. You don’t need to re-brew the tea. I should be able to sleep soundly today.”

“Then I’ll… be going now.”

Henry politely said goodbye and left the office.

Gale smiled faintly as he watched him go.

‘His abilities aren’t bad, but it’s a shame he’s so emotional.’

Even though he was living in this mansion, funded by Gale’s money,

Such presumptuous behavior was not to his liking.

The reason he kept Henry around was simply because he liked his cooking.

And perhaps, he could serve as a caregiver for Scarlett after his death.

“Haaahm.. I think I’ll stop here for today..”

Gale stretched and relaxed his stiff body.

There was a bed next to his office desk.

He sighed, got up, and turned off the lamp.

Then, the room became completely dark without a single sound.

‘Tomorrow, maybe I’ll go for a walk with Scarlett.’

Lying in bed with his eyes closed, he thought.

Finishing his work and reflecting was one of Gale’s daily routines.

He wore a blank expression.

Quite some time had passed since his wife died.

Was it two years, or three?

The world had lost its color after she died, so Gale poured all his energy into his work.

Occasionally, when he saw his daughter, he was overcome with extreme sadness and longing.

Blue eyes.

The only color in her hair, resembling his wife’s eyes, were so painful to look at that

Gale didn’t like facing Scarlett.

‘..I should just sleep.’

He had too many stray thoughts.

Gale, recalling his wife’s silhouette, quietly fell asleep.

He confined Scarlett because he loved her.

He didn’t want to lose that color again.

He was merely ‘protecting’ his daughter.

Gale’s mind was filled with such thoughts.

****

Time passed.

Seasons passed endlessly, and Scarlett’s height grew day by day.

Although it was regrettable that her height was limited,

Scarlett grew up rapidly within the bars.

Udeuk, odok.

“…Young Lady. This is your breakfast today.”

Henry held a tray and spoke in a calm voice.

There was no response from inside the room.

She was just sitting on the bed, biting her nails.

“Young Lady?”

Only after he spoke again did Scarlett lift her head.

Then, she walked over and sat in front of the bars.

Her red hair, reaching her waist, scattered on the floor.

“…What’s on the menu today?”

“Steak… You said you wanted it before, right?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

There was no hint of a smile.

With a vacant expression, she took the food from the opening and picked up her cutlery.

Then, her hands, bitten bloody, were revealed.

Henry bit his lip as he saw this.

He took out some ointment from his pocket and called Scarlett.

“Young Lady. Could you lend me your hand for a moment?”

Scarlett looked at Henry blankly,

And then meekly extended her hand.

The habit of biting her nails had started about a year ago.

It was probably when they banned outings, saying, ‘The atmosphere outside is unsettling these days.’

She had bitten them so much that scars formed before scabs could even appear.

Even as he applied the ointment, Scarlett showed no sign of pain.

No.

She looked like a half-conscious person.

After the first aid was finished,

“Thank you.”

“…Young Lady. Please stop biting your nails. If you keep biting them, they’ll get infected.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

She replied with a vacant expression.

No matter how much he told her, she would receive food with bloody hands tomorrow.

Recently, the kingdom had declared war, shouting ‘Conquest of neighboring countries.’

The kingdom’s army and nobles with military power were conscripted for the war,

And Gale Friedman, the Lord of the Friedman family, was also fighting on the front lines.

He thought Scarlett’s surveillance would loosen when he left the mansion,

But he became even more obsessed with his daughter’s safety and cut off almost all contact.

Even Lucy, who used to visit often, could no longer come.

Henry could only see her face during meal times.

When asked why Lucy wasn’t coming, Henry could only say, ‘Lucy is busy,’ holding back his emotions.

During the war, whose end was unknown, no freedom was guaranteed.

If Scarlett found that out, she might make an extreme choice.

Henry didn’t know what consequences this decision would bring in the future,

But it was the best method for now.

“You changed the sauce..”

“Ah, yes. Young Lady said the sauce was a bit spicy before, so I made it milder.”

“It’s delicious. Thank you for taking care of it.”

Henry’s expression turned somber as he said that.

Scarlett slowly finished her meal.

It was very concerning that her food intake was decreasing,

But there was nothing he could do to stimulate her appetite.

“Young Lady. Then..”

“…Are you leaving?”

Henry, as usual, picked up the finished dishes and started to go downstairs.

But today, Scarlett’s expression looked pitiful.

He shouldn’t do this, but

With a shrug, Henry sat down gently.

“Come to think of it… I have a little time left. Shall we chat for a bit?”

Henry said this with a bright smile.

Scarlett’s eyes widened at the unexpected situation.

But then, as if agreeing, she nodded.

“How have you been lately..?”

“The same as usual. I study magic, practice making magic tools. I eat meals..”

‘..She’s fiddling with her nails again.’

Henry felt a heavy emotion as he watched Scarlett’s hands fidgeting.

She was picking at the part where he had applied ointment earlier.

He considered stopping her, but knowing she would just bite her nails again,

He couldn’t say anything.

Hoping to have more conversation, Henry began to chatter away.

In the past, Scarlett used to lead the conversation.

But Scarlett’s words were significantly fewer now.

However, Henry cherished even these moments.

For over several years, he had brought Scarlett her meals every day.

Due to Gale’s neglectful love, Henry and Scarlett’s relationship grew stronger.

Of course, he couldn’t prevent Scarlett’s mental state from deteriorating,

“So, I told you. ‘Your butt..'”

Kung, kung!

As they were conversing,

From downstairs, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard.

“Head Chef.. H-Head Chef!!”

A male servant came up.

He held a letter in his hand and had a hurried expression, panting.

Henry looked puzzled, wondering what was happening.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“This, heek.. Please take a look at this.. Lord, the Lord..!”

The servant couldn’t finish his sentence.

At the mention of ‘Lord,’ Scarlett immediately reacted.

Her face was a complex mix of emotions she couldn’t identify.

‘Did something happen to the Lord who is on the front lines..?’

Henry, picking up the letter, quickly read through it.

With each line he read, his expression grew darker,

Tuk-

Finally, unable to believe the contents, he dropped the letter.

“Henry.. What happened? Did something happen to Father?”

Scarlett looked puzzled.

Henry handed her the letter with trembling hands.

A large royal seal was stamped on it.

Scarlett read the letter silently,

And covered her mouth with her scarred hands.

She looked as if she didn’t understand the situation.

Henry then quietly took the letter she was reading.

The words written in the last line told everything.

– As Lord Gale Friedman has passed away, Scarlett Friedman, his only daughter, is appointed as the new Lord.

Her mind went blank.

Henry quickly shoved the letter into his pocket and examined Scarlett’s face.

Then, Henry’s expression hardened completely.

He turned his body sharply and rushed downstairs in a hurry.

He needed to check if there were any other letters.

And what had happened to the situation.

‘This can’t be…’

Henry clenched his teeth and frowned.

His mind was in chaos, unable to think of anything.

Scarlett’s expression, the last thing he saw,

Also contributed to his confusion.

He saw it clearly.

She was definitely smiling.

With the corners of her mouth turned up.

That day, the master of the Friedman family changed,

And Scarlett was finally free.

It was the beginning of all tragedy.