episode_0054

The child was an abandoned life.

It was a small being that shivered in the cold and starved. It should have just surrendered to its fate and perished.

For her, who had a vague idea of her own fate, that day was a day of miracles.

The hand that had wrapped around my small, dying body was so warm that it still warms my skin as if it were an imprint.

Even though white snow was piled up all around.

When I recall the miracle of that time, my body does not get cold.

I wanted to keep that warmth.

I wanted to stay by that warmth forever.

We swore that we would be together for the rest of our lives. But that promise was not kept, and it hurt and hurt.

Then, footsteps were heard.

Crackle, crackle.

The sound of snow being trampled tickled my sensitive ears.

The owners of that tone speak.

“Um…Madam. Is it true? You’re saying that you’re going to debut ‘that’…”

“Does that sound like a lie?”

“I, that’s…”

As the maid hesitates, the man bursts into loud laughter.

“Ahaha, ahahahahaha! I’m not lying. It’s true. But… I don’t think that promise will ever be kept.”

“Yes…?”

“Because that kid…”

─Because.

The moment the woman blurted out that fact with a cruel smile, my body moved reflexively.

“Boom! Woof woof!”

The sore kneecaps with every step were no problem at all.

◇

It was an accident that happened in a split second.

Hailey, who had been far away, barged in and bared her teeth.

Everyone was confused.

It was a well-behaved dog that had never caused any accidents before. That’s why I didn’t bother to tie it up with a leash and let it run around the mansion freely.

Haley, who was like that, suddenly ran over and bit Attila’s arm.

“AAAHH …

“Madam!”

◦ ◦ What are you doing?

“That, that’s…!”

Even though she was skinny and gaunt, Hailey was a big dog. It would be difficult to calm her down with gentle methods.

The thinking was short and the action was quick.

The maid next to Attila kicked Hayley’s torso with all her might.

“Kang!”

Hailey rolled on the white floor, screaming. But her condition was not normal. Not only was her ribs broken, she was having trouble breathing, and her side seemed to be sunken.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Boom, boom.

Attila got up with support. Blood dripped from his bitten arm, staining the floor like a piece of paper. The maids quickly brought in disinfectants and bandages and administered first aid.

“That crazy thing…!”

In fact, even though Attila was in power in the mansion, he did not walk in the direction of Hayley’s dog house.

It was a burden to me because it was a guy who would bark at me from the beginning. Besides, even if I became the new mistress of the mansion, if I kicked Haley out, it would be like fighting a beast.

Since he was a guy who was going to die day by day anyway, I didn’t care.

That’s what happened…!

“Hey, you…!”

“Okay, yes…! Ma’am.”

“Bring that.”

Attila gave the order with a cold look in his eyes. Then, without even looking back, the maid ran over and dragged the fluttering Hailey with her.

Soon, Attila’s knees were raised loudly as he placed Hayley on his feet.

” This …

Kwak!

The sharp heels of her high heels dug into Hailey’s eyes.

“Keang! Kang! Kkeeng…!!!”

“Eek…!”

The maid who was supporting Attila shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away. It was a sight too painful to bear. However, Attila, possessed by evil, had not even a shred of mercy left.

“Die, die!”

Swish, swish, swish!

“Kang… Kkiing…”

Hailey was groaning and shaking her body every time she was stepped on. However, at some point, Hailey was being abused unilaterally without being able to resist at all.

Gradually, Attila’s physical strength began to show its limits. Soon, the heated atmosphere subsided and the cruelty stopped.

“I should’ve cleaned it up a long time ago… You shouldn’t bring animals into the house.”

Attila spat on the floor like a street thug. She was about to turn around and leave.

“Oh, right.”

She suddenly turns her gaze towards Hailey and commands.

“Bring that scarf.”

He was referring to the blue scarf adorning Hailey’s neck.

“예전부터 거슬렸지. 개새끼 주제에 인간 마냥 저런 걸 둘러서는. 하여간 그 녀석의 취향이란 이해하질 못 하겠다니까.”

The maid who had been ordered approached Hayley cautiously. Then, she untied the blue scarf tied around Hayley’s neck and presented it to Attila.

“That’s too much.”

Bernaciens has been like that from the beginning.

Her unrealistically pretty appearance and friendly personality earned her the admiration of everyone.

Attila admired Bernacien and was secretly jealous of her. However, he wanted to turn a blind eye to his own ugly nature, so he played the role of her best friend. His acting was so good that even the actor himself was fooled.

Haley felt Attila’s nature with a beastly intuition.

That was why Bernassien barked consistently at Attila even though he was in trouble.

In that sense, Attila’s excessive extravagance was also a struggle to resolve the inferiority complex he had toward Bernatien.

“The hypocrisy of giving something like this to a mere animal… I couldn’t stand it, it was disgusting.”

Attila left Hayley, whose fur was covered in snow, and headed to the mansion. He wanted to throw this scarf into the fireplace and burn it right away. Just holding it in his hand made it feel like every joint in his hand was rotting away.

That was when.

“Grrr…”

Give it back.

“Kahak…”

Give it back.

“Kehaak…!”

Give it back!

Give me back… my happiness!!!

The hunting dog, whose breath was on the verge of death, moved its feet. Its movements were not even agile.

Both eyes were gouged out, the ears were torn off, and the flesh around the ribs was barely hanging on, almost like a corpse.

I ran and ran, relying solely on the smell.

The one who stopped Hailey’s advance was a gardener who was passing by.

Kwak!

A sharp iron bar, like a trident, struck Hailey’s back mercilessly.

The mere rebellion of the beasts was nothing more than a small disturbance that was suppressed so futilely.

◇

It was 30 minutes after the incident that Baekryeon heard the news about Haley.

First, I found Haley’s body. However, the gardener said that Haley’s body had been cremated for a long time. He taunted me by saying that I could take even the ashes.

The next place Baekryeon went to was the Duchess’ bedroom.

There, Attila was bandaged and being cared for with great care by his maids.

“What happened to the butler and the duchess?”

Attila asked the obvious question in a pointed tone.

“Haley… hurt you.”

“Ha, ‘your body’? Be polite. I am the owner of this mansion…”

At that moment, Baekryeon approached, forcibly pushing away the maids before she could finish speaking.

“I ask the questions.”

“What…?”

“Haley bit off your arm herself. Is there any truth to this?”

Baekryeon only asked a very simple question, but the conversation between the two ran parallel.

“Drag this rascal out right now! It’s better, I’ll punish you severely this time. Beat that thing up and throw it out of the mansion right now!”

“Is it the same as when you were with Sally?”

“You mean that girl who always picks a fight? Oh, it was easy. It was so easy to hide some money in her room and frame her and get her kicked out!”

Attila confessed readily. In fact, Selli’s injustice was a public fact, but no one dared to say it out loud.

Attila was already the star of the mansion. If she said she was white, then even the pitch-black shoe polish was pure white.

“But you? You don’t need to be falsely accused. Now, you too…!”

“From now on.”

Once again, Baekryun interrupted Attila. This was a betrayal that could not be tolerated by common sense. With Hereis gone, the absolute power of the mansion had long since been transferred to Attila.

So, everyone remained silent in this absurd situation.

Except for Baekryun, who continues speaking next.

“All those with eyes and ears in all directions are ordered to leave.”

“What, what…?”

“This is an order.”

Despite the blazing fire nearby, the air was chilly. The maids furtively glanced at Baekryun and Attila at this supernatural phenomenon.

It was a time when things were about to get stuck for a while.

Baekryeon grabbed the pillar of the canopy that was standing nearby and broke it with her evil force.

Woozikkun!

The threat of going too far over the line gave them a good excuse.

“Gyaaaah…! Hey, someone help me…!”

“I’ll go request it! Right now!”

“Me, me too…!”

Attila shouted as he watched the maids running away in a hurry.

“These, these…!?”

“This is not the time to be pushing others around.”

Baekryeon took a step closer. The more she did so, the more Attila’s face turned pale.

I knew he was in good shape, but I didn’t know it was this bad. This sturdy canopy pillar was broken by human strength. I’ve just seen such acrobatics for the first time in my life.

“What did you say?”

“What the heck are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“Haley bit you without warning. I know that’s ridiculous. I have no doubt that you gave her a reason to do it.”

“Ha…!”

“So tell me. Recite the conversation you had before you were bitten, without missing a single word.”

It was a deadly threat. Yet Attila still raised his voice in a haughty tone.

“Do you think I have a reason to do that?”

“If there is no reason, then give them an incentive to do so.”

Next, Baekryeon suggested.

“If you confess, I will spare your life. Whether as Attila the maid or as a duchess, right now.”

“Oh my…!”

The white lotus’s grip slowly began to cover Attila’s throat.

Attila’s head grew cold as soon as he felt his urge to go up.

The threat of death made it all too easy for the other person to submit.

“I, I…!”

The moment Baekryeon’s knuckles touched his skin, Attila confessed everything.

◇

Up until now, Baekryeon has faithfully kept her promise not to approach the fourth floor.

But that patience was cut short by Hailey’s death.

In front of the stairs leading to the fourth floor, covered in layers of dust. Baekryeon took her first step, feeling her heartbeat pounding like it was going to burst.

The sound of creaking footsteps vibrated the cold, empty air of the fourth floor.

The place Baekryeon soon arrived at was a dead end. It was truly a corner of corners. It was a place so gloomy that even the servants who went through each and every corner of the mansion would pass it by without a second thought. The structure, which was completely blocked on three sides so that no sunlight could enter, added to the gloom.

There are two doors on either side of the dead-end wall.

One of the doors was particularly poorly maintained compared to the other rooms, and the other was a pure white door that led to the roof of the mansion.

“…”

Baekryeon thought about it for a long time.

He kept fidgeting with his fingers and repeatedly gripping the doorknob.

After that pointless struggle, Baekryeon finally opened the old door.

Squeak…!!!

The hinges were squealing due to poor maintenance.

Cool!

A musty smell swept in. The outside air blew in, and a dusty wind blew over the lotus.

It was dark.

The fireplace was filled with unkempt ashes, and the ceiling was barely wide enough for a grown man to fit through.

The small bed located in the corner was so fragile that it looked like it would break if I lay down on it for even a moment.

It was a desolate space where no management could be found. It was definitely not a room fit for human habitation.

However, Baekryeon’s heart was beating like crazy. The beating was so painful and painful that she clutched her chest.

The light from outside seeped into the musty room, illuminating a small figure.

A young girl was sitting on the floor helplessly.

The girl was wearing very thin clothes, even though the temperature outside was low enough for snow to pile up. She was even wearing a one-piece nightgown that clearly had not been worn for a long time.

What stood out more than the shabby clothes was his very long hair. It was long black hair that was long enough to cover my kidneys.

All of this behavior clearly showed how long the girl had been left unattended.

“Ah, oh my. Oh my─.”

The girl opened her mouth in a hoarse voice, as if she had just woken up.

“Dad─ah?”

The moment that incorrect pronunciation pierces your ears.

Baekryeon knelt down and eventually collapsed.

“Ah… ahh…”

Certainly, Attila did not lie.

When he said he would let Letia debut if she became a proper lady, he was sincere.

But she knew long ago that that day would never come.

“…”

Letia was born with a developmental disability.