Chapter 6
In an instant, all gazes converged on Carolyn. “……”
Carolyn wasn’t the type to enjoy being the center of attention, so she was feeling a bit embarrassed, but… She noticed that none of the people looked particularly surprised. That fact angered her even more.
“I wish we could have a conversation that focuses a bit more… on the work. Not throwing out questions that sound like they belong in a gossip magazine.” “For example, what might that be? Is there a story Miss Carolyn could tell us?”
Aiden asked subtly as he drank from his teacup.
“As a fan, I think there is a lot to ask. Actually, is a rare play where Aiden played the lead, but there wasn’t a romantic counterpart. Right?”
Aiden nodded. Astoundingly, the women’s pens had been placed down on the table.
“Because I played the role of a student.” “Of course, it was a student role, but James is a character that shows the process of a scarred delinquent student meeting a new teacher, learning many things, and becoming an admirable person.”
Carolyn watched as an unusual light flickered, even if just for a moment, in the man’s green eyes, which had been like those of a dead fish.
“That’s… I think it’s because the love James experiences isn’t love toward the opposite sex, but love toward people and society. To James’s teacher, Lobelian, there is a fiancé, and to James, Lobelian, the townspeople, and even the audience serve as the subjects of his love.”
Carolyn, who had been speaking while fully engrossed, only snapped back to her senses when even Aiden fell silent. He, who had been expressing that he was listening with nods or humming sounds in between phrases, was quietly looking at her.
‘The actor would know it best, yet I talked too much.’
She became extremely embarrassed about suddenly talking so much. It was the behavior typical of a massive fan, rapidly pouring everything out once the floodgates were slightly opened about something she liked. Carolyn stealthily closed her mouth and leaned her body back.
“…How interesting.”
Aiden was wearing a subtle smile, different from earlier. Whether it was because it was truly interesting, or because he was bewildered, it was impossible to know.
“Do the rest of you have no questions regarding this?” “It seems your memories with your mother would be significant, have you sorted out the traces your mother left behind?” “?”
In an instant, her blood pressure spiked. Carolyn clenched her fists at the attitude that made her wonder if she had even listened to the conversation up until just now, but she stopped because Aiden answered calmly.
‘Let’s not act out any more.’
Why Aiden tolerated them, what on earth these machine-like people taking notes so diligently were. Since she couldn’t figure out a single thing, Carolyn resolved to just observe for today.
Resolving to observe and accepting it were two different things. As soon as tea time ended, Carolyn found the servant who had guided her on the first day. And she strode over and poured out her questions.
“Excuse me, I have something I want to ask about the guests.” “Yes, Miss Carolyn. Please speak.” “Are the guests here all invited people?”
The servant answered mechanically.
“All five guests are indeed invited people.”
Carolyn lost her words.
‘He’s saying five people again. Just like Aiden, he forgot me.’
It’s not like these people can’t count numbers, so why are they acting like this? Carolyn decided to force herself to understand and move on.
“Are those people all Aiden’s fans? Like me? But is it okay for them to act so disrespectfully like that?”
The servant blinked, unable to understand Carolyn’s indignation.
“They are digging into Aiden’s painful memories and private matters. As a servant, shouldn’t you try to stop them?” “The guests may ask the master for everything they need.” “You’re saying they need those kinds of stories?” “The guests may ask the master for everything they need.”
The same answer returned. Carolyn lost the will to converse and closed her mouth. It seemed the servants here were completely inflexible. And.
‘My stomach is also completely blocked.’
Carolyn, without fail, got indigestion again. It was because the dining setting was uncomfortable this time as well. Spending time to digest, she slowly had to prepare to go to sleep again.
‘It’s raining quite a bit.’
It was when she came out after finishing brushing her teeth and stood by the window. Checking that the rain, which she thought was merely a passing shower, had been going on for quite a while, Carolyn discovered something and let out a gasp, her body freezing.
‘Isn’t that Aiden?’
It was murky and the rain was pouring down, making it hard to see, to the point where she thought it was a ghost at first glance. Caramel blonde hair and a tall, slender height. A man who appeared to be Aiden stood tall in the darkness.
‘Why is he doing that?’
He wasn’t hurrying over to avoid the rain and just stood stopped in that spot. Carolyn didn’t even check the time, which was nearing midnight, and merely grasped where he was.
‘In front of the maze. Between the dense trees of the garden.’
And she hurriedly ran over, not even considering the fact that she was wearing her pajamas. Wearing slippers. Moreover, she didn’t even grab an umbrella for herself. She merely grabbed a light blanket to cover Aiden with and moved instinctively. Like that, she arrived in front of the man who looked like a drowned rat.
“What are you doing here? When it’s raining like this… you’re all wet!”
She hurriedly covered him with the blanket. As Carolyn was sweeping up the man’s hair, which had grown heavy and fallen down, she flinched at something unexpected and stepped back in surprise. The revealed Aiden was glaring at her with eyes full of hostility.
“Why…?”
However, it was strange.
‘Somehow, rather than harboring a grudge, it feels rebellious?’
The moment Carolyn was about to say a word as if soothing a child, the bell rang.
Dong—
A large bell she didn’t even know existed inside the mansion announced 12 o’clock just like that.
“Ah!”
‘The rules!’
[Fourth. Do not step outside your own room after midnight. A servant will visit for the last time at midnight, so please discuss any necessary matters then. A dress room and bathroom exist within the room, and we will bring necessary items as much as possible, so you must absolutely not step outside the room after midnight.]
In that moment, Carolyn realized what she had done. She had broken the rules, and she didn’t know what would happen if she was caught.
‘I’m in big trouble.’
But what should she do? In front of her eyes was Aiden, who looked like he was going to catch a cold at any moment, and…
‘Even if I hurry up right now, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be solved. Won’t I run into the servants?’
Carolyn ultimately decided to put out the urgent fire first. To take care of her actor.
“Let’s go inside first.”
Speaking carefully, she pulled on the man’s sleeve, but…
Smack—
A fierce hand slapped her hand away.
“Do not touch my body.”
It was quite a sharp tone. Carolyn opened her eyes wide, stepped back, and looked at her actor.
‘Why is this person acting like this?’
She couldn’t understand. He should know her face. And he should be able to predict why she was doing this. As a bewildered Carolyn slowly lowered her gaze,
“!”
Something unexpected entered her view. Aiden wasn’t wearing sleepwear, nor the outdoor clothes he had been wearing earlier.
‘Isn’t this a school uniform…?’
A loosely tied necktie, and a light blue striped shirt. It was the moment Carolyn, having realized who this character meant, was about to demand an explanation.
“Is anyone there?”
At the sound of someone approaching, Carolyn hastily turned her body. From far away, a servant holding a lantern was approaching.
“Master?”
For whatever reason, Aiden turned his back on Carolyn and walked out toward the servant.
“…I apologize for that, Master.”
He disappeared between the trees, and she heard the sound of the servant finding him.
“But who gave you the blanket on your shoulders? By any chance?”
And at that moment, Carolyn checked the lantern light shining toward her direction.
“Is anyone there?”
‘I’m in big trouble.’
Although Aiden unintentionally shielded Carolyn and bought her some time, she was at a loss for what to do. If I’m caught like this, will I be kicked out of the mansion?
‘Nonsense. That can’t happen! Get a grip. What should I do?’
