It was the fourth day I heard the news that the woman who was taken to the mansion had returned in a miserable condition. She saw only orange light leaking from the curtained window slits illuminating the dark living room.
Layla looked at Yuria’s face and said.
“I can’t live here anymore. We must leave now.”
Her voice was quite calm, but the brown eyes she met were filled with all kinds of damp and negative emotions. Layla was worried about Yuria’s beauty.
She was afraid that she might be taken away by the Count. It was the first time.
Layla looked at Yuria with those eyes.
Her beautiful older sister has always been Layla’s pride. She never showed it, but whenever she looked at Yuria’s face, she used to put on a satisfied smile.
When the villagers said that the most beautiful thing in this estate was Yuria, they snorted as if it was natural. Also, saying that she is pretty and fun to decorate, she often chooses clothes that fit Yuria or creates various hairstyles by messing around with her hair.
So Yuria liked her own face. The fact that she combs her hair carefully every day is that she cares a little about what might have been on her face. Whenever she sees her sister’s satisfied smile on her face, it’s like a star. Because I wanted to see the twinkling eyes. It’s nice to be proud of someone. Especially when that person is a loved one, the joy is multiplied. But now, that beauty only elicits negative emotions in Layla.
Yeah, that’s right.
‘I have become this child’s anxiety.’
It’s so sad, Yuria held Layla in her arms and whispered.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Like her sister, people realized the seriousness of the situation.
Many tried to leave the estate.
At the Count order, the soldiers seized those who were trying to leave the territory and wielded violence, but they secretly opened the door if we gave a lot of money.
The money was burdensome for ordinary people in the territory, and in some cases the soldiers just took the money and let us, so most people could not leave the territory.
If we were lucky, we could get on the upper carriage at the estate and get out, but there were only a few. There were no sisters in the minority.
People are imprisoned in the estate as if they were doing bad things, and women are taken to mansions.
Layla’s worries grew worse day by day. She tries not to show it, but when she sees that she can’t sleep late at night or her attitude towards her overprotective Yuria, she can’t help but notice.
Yuria was also worried about her. She was worried that she would be imprisoned on the estate and that she or her lovely sister might be captured by the Count, but it was Layla who worried most of all. It was because she often came home late at night from one day on.
It’s already past twelve o’clock, and the outside of the window is dyed in pitch black darkness. Lying on her bed, Yuria turned her head to look at the place where her sister should be lying. She gently swept the empty spot with her hand and raised her upper body.
Yuria left her room as it was and went down to the first floor. She sat on the sofa in the living room and looked at the front door. The door shows no sign of opening.
She made two-person tea, set it down on the small table next to the sofa, and stayed there for a while.
As the thick steam flowing from the cup scatters in the air and the tea cools down, the door opens.
As she walked into the house, Layla, who had a face looking a little tired, found Yuria and rolled her eyes.
“You haven’t slept?”
“Yeah, I just couldn’t sleep….”
“You should sleep well. Then you will grow tall”
Yuria laughed softly. She would have to laugh when her younger sister, who was much smaller than her, said so. She smiled like that for a while, then looked down at the cup I was holding. Suddenly, the smile disappears.
“Stop joking. Why are you coming in so late? What the hell are you doing outside? I couldn’t sleep because I was worried.”
We’ve talked about this issue before.
Rather than having a conversation, it would be more accurate to say that Yuria only talked about it.
She couldn’t stand it because she was worried, she thought there must be a reason why she acted that way. So Yuria asked Layla, who came in late at night, what she was doing outside, but she didn’t tell her. She was late, so she just slept on Yuria’s back and sent her to the bedroom.
Are you thinking of just going through this again?
Yuria raised her head. Layla looked at her with her contemplative face. She then smiled and stroked Yuria’s hair.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. But really, it was no big deal.”
“Tell me if it’s nothing special.”
“I gave money to the Count’s soldiers. He said he would help us get out of the estate sooner or later. Are you okay?”
“… What? when…?”
Yuria opened her mouth in surprise.
“You gave money to the soldier? Did we have that much money? Where did you get the money? No, how much did you give him?”
The money was entirely in Layla’s control. So Yuria did not know how much money she had.
Layla chanted that she should save her stuff, she said, and she only thought that they were very poor. Layla seemed unwilling to comment on her money.
‘… You won’t tell me again.’
Yuria was holding back her sigh, and she decided to ask something else.
“… Are you okay? What if the soldier pretends to be ignorant with only money…? You said that Uncle Tom was also scammed last time.”
“It’s okay. He is someone you can trust.”
“… Lala if you say so….”
“Now, let’s stop talking about this kind of headache and go to sleep. I’m tired and sleepy too.”
“I… ”
I want to hear more. I want to know more. But I didn’t think she’d tell me more than this. Yuria shut her mouth and moved her feet as her sister led her. Layla led her Yuria to the bedroom, covering her with a blanket.
She whispered softly as Layla patted her body, Yuria.
“Good night.”
A voice like that sounds somewhat resentful.
The next day, Yuria met Layla, who she went to work as usual.
Layla put her shoes on and tapped her feet to the floor a couple of times. As she turned the doorknob on the front door, she turned behind her and looked at Yuria. And she gives advice as usual.
“Yuri, never leave the house.”
“… Yes.”
“You pretended like you didn’t hear it when someone knocked on the door, okay?”
When the Count’s atrocities were revealed, Layla began to lock Yuria in the house.
In case she caught the Count’s eyes, curtains were drawn on the windows in the house and the doors were locked.
She was also barred from working, and it was also difficult for her to take walks in the fresh fresh air. When Layla heard her neighbor tell her story that Yuria had gone outside, she turned horribly and drove her away.
Although she found it very frustrating, she knew she was worried about her, so she had no choice but to obey it.
Yuria looked at Layla’s back as she was about to leave, and grabbed her hem.
“… Lala, can you stay at home with me too? You seem to think the Count will only be after me, but you… might be the target. What if that person takes you to the mansion? I am so scared.”
Layla grabbed Yuria’s hand and pulled it off.
“It’s okay. No need to worry. If we ever run into each other, I’ll just run away. You know I’m quick. Besides, you are resting too, and without me, who makes money?”
“…However…….”
“I’m okay.”
“… Okay.”
Yuria mumbled, fiddling with her fallen hand.
“… So is there anything I can do to help? We’re leaving this estate soon, aren’t we? To get out of the territory, you need to be prepared. Shall I pack some stuff in advance? if not….”
“Yuri.”
Layla smiled softly.
“You don’t have to do anything. I will take care of everything.”
The old door made a small noise and the front door opened. Layla walks through the door, and the door begins to close slowly again. The light that leaked through the gap gradually disappeared, and the shadow swallowed Yuria.
“… I know… that you don’t need my help…”
Yuria knows. If it was Layla, she could do anything on her own. While Yuria was stuck inside the house, didn’t she find a way to escape the estate?
‘I’m probably nothing more than a concern for Lala or a burden to take care of.’
Why does she feel lonely even though she knows that? Why would she wish she could have depended on her even a little bit, and that she would have asked for help?
It is not right to feel frustrated with her sister who is so trustworthy and acts for her.
“Haah…”
After staring at the door for a while, Yuria sighed and went up to the room. She said she didn’t need help, but just in case she didn’t know, Yuria brought a bag and tucked her clothes into her closet.
Then there was the sound of someone knocking on the door. Surprised, Yuria folds her clothes and stops her hand to open it.
“… Who is it?”
She put her folded clothes down on the bed and went down to the first floor. The door trembled like crazy with a loud knock.
It was difficult to open the door to welcome them.
‘Who the hell are you? Who’s knocking on the door like that? no way….’
I felt uneasy. Yuria gently rolled up her curtains and looked at the scenery outside. There was Count Nigor, accompanied by two or three men, following her assistant.
“Is this Yuria Hanson’s house?”
“Yes, it is.”
“I miss her quick look.”
During that time, the Count never looked for Yuria. She was reassured that he might not be looking for her.
No, I thought he wouldn’t come to me at least until I left the estate with Layla.
Today Yuria realized that her own thoughts were wrong. Her body trembles with fear.
‘Hide, hide… Where are you hiding?’
Yuria quickly pulled down the curtains and hurriedly found a place to hide.
“Open the door now.”
“Sir, it seems that no one is home now.”
“It doesn’t matter though. open it. If you wait inside the house, she will come back.”
Bang—
As she passed the living room and she tried to head up the stairs to the second floor, they made a loud noise and the door smashed. Turning her head, Yuria could see the door that was forcibly opened by a kick at the soldier’s foot.
“Ah….”
‘I have to run away… Why did my body doesn’t move?’
She was frozen and unable to move until Count Nigor pushed the soldier away and entered the house.
“What? You have been here. You’re a disrespectful bitch. We knocked on the door and you did not open it.”
The Count came up to her and grabbed Yuria’s face. He ran through her face as if appraising her face. As his thick fingers brushed against her chin, Yuria felt goosebumps all over her body. The feeling of dampness and lukewarm temperature on her skin is unpleasant.
I don’t know if it’s because of the sweat dripping from his hands, or if it’s because of the bad feeling she gets from something insignificant.
Hmm, the Count twisted the corners of her lips.
“Yeah, she’s pretty. The rumors were true.”
“……”
“The rumor is that a girl named Yuria Hanson is the most beautiful in this estate.”
Yuria was beautiful. If I had to choose one of the most beautiful women in the Nigor estate, everyone would choose her. Like smooth porcelain, the flawless skin as white as it has never been exposed to the sun. Her pale brown hair fluttered like silk, and her blue eyes shone as dazzling as the sky. Therefore, there is no way Count Nigor would not aim for her. It was strange that he had not come to see Yuria until now.
Then why didn’t he come to see Yuria? If he likes girls, if he likes beautiful things, shouldn’t he be the first to come to see her? The moment she met the Count’s blue eyes, she realized the reason.
It’s probably like eating the tastiest part for the last. It’s like waiting for a long time to eat the one and only strawberry on top of a cake.
The Count in a command said.
“Come to my mansion tonight.”
The Count’s aide, standing behind him, turned his head to the side as if trying to ignore the scenery in front of him.