Chapter 43
I held Pepe in my arms and followed the maid into the annex.
Inside the mansion, there wasn’t a single sign of life.
It seemed that all the household staff had already left as well.
“Miss, this way, please.”
The maid gestured toward the parlor as she opened the door.
When I stepped inside, I saw the parlor neatly arranged.
Unlike the lavish scenery outside, the room was quite plain.
The wallpaper was dull, and the furniture didn’t look particularly expensive for a Duke’s household.
In the center of the room stood a round table, and on it were a piece of paper and a small box.
“He asked me to make sure to give this to you.”
“…….”
I walked closer to the table.
Beneath the plain box, with no ribbon or decoration, lay a small sheet of paper.
I set Pepe down on the table and picked up the paper first.
On the back, scribbled unevenly, were words written in shaky handwriting.
[Gift]
What was this?
The large letters covering one side of the paper were simple and direct.
It was so plain that I wasn’t sure whether this was meant to convey a message or if I was supposed to solve some kind of puzzle.
“This note was written by the young master himself,” the maid said.
I had never seen such a short, vague note before, so I felt quite confused.
Putting the note down, I picked up the box next.
It was an awkward-looking box, hardly something you would expect as a gift.
Why would he give something like this…?
I opened the lid, and I had to quickly swallow my surprise.
Inside was a clear orb set with a red ruby—the very orb I had once complimented Casio on.
Back then, he hadn’t even let me touch it properly…
Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes.
Was it because the cat, who had always been prickly toward me, was now approaching me first?
Judging by how he had hurriedly snatched it from my hands before, it must have been something he cared for. And yet, he had left it as a parting gift.
“Wow… it’s really beautiful.”
I nodded in agreement with the maid’s admiring words.
The fact that Casio, who usually acted so distant, had left me something he cherished as a farewell gift was overwhelming.
At the same time, I felt a pang of guilt.
I hadn’t approached Casio with entirely pure intentions.
Was it even okay for me to receive something like this?
But the orb was too beautiful to just put back.
I turned it over in my hand, and a thought came to me. I looked at the maid.
“Um… did Casio say anything else?”
“No… he just asked me to deliver this gift. I was going to bring it after finishing the laundry…”
Ah, so I had arrived too early.
“Wow, the young master really picked something beautiful for a gift.”
“Indeed…”
I fiddled with the smooth orb, my heart fluttering.
Later, I was lying on my bed enjoying the afternoon when the door burst open, and Elly ran in holding a purple velvet box.
“Miss, it’s here!”
“Already?”
I sprang up excitedly and hurried to the table where she stood.
“Yes! The crafting finished earlier than planned. Do you want to see it now?”
“Yes!”
With my loud exclamation, the velvet box slowly opened.
Inside was a golden bracelet so beautiful it made me gasp at first sight.
“Wow…”
“Oh my…”
Elly and I both gasped simultaneously.
“Miss, put it on quickly.”
“Okay!”
I stretched out my plump arm, and Elly skillfully fastened the bracelet around my wrist.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes!”
I smiled with satisfaction at the golden band on my wrist.
The bracelet, made from twisted thin gold strands, had the orb Casio had given me set in the center.
The day Casio left, I had immediately taken the orb to my mother to ask how best to keep it.
“Well… if Chloe really treasures it, why not make it into a necklace or bracelet to carry it with you?”
“A necklace? A bracelet?”
“Yes, that’s what I would do. But where did this orb come from? It’s really beautiful.”
“I got it as a gift!”
“A gift? From who?”
“From a friend!”
“A friend? Who?”
“I’ll tell you later. It’s still a secret.”
Mother seemed to guess the friend was Casio and asked persistently, but I was too embarrassed to say directly and gave a vague answer.
I asked her to make the orb into a bracelet so I could wear it comfortably, since dresses were my main outfit here.
She immediately called in the most famous craftsman in the south.
He was a stern old man, wearing thick monocles, examining the orb as if sensing its emotions.
Then he said,
“I’ve never seen an orb like this. How is the ruby inside transparent like this? Or maybe it isn’t even a ruby… hmm…”
“Eh? Not a ruby?”
“Honestly, I can’t tell what the gemstone inside is just by looking. Anyway, you want this made into a bracelet, right?”
“Yes!”
“Understood. I’ll measure your wrist now. I’ll also extend the ends so you can wear it later, so don’t worry about that. Bailey, bring the tape measure.”
The preparations for making the bracelet began smoothly.
And today, the bracelet I had ordered from the craftsman arrived.
He had mentioned that the orb was so tiny that it was difficult to craft, but he had managed.
The craftsman truly lived up to his reputation.
I couldn’t believe he made it exactly to my liking.
Every time I moved my arm, the golden strands clinked beautifully.
With this, even if I change as I grow up, maybe Casio will still recognize me.
—A silly thought made me giggle.
There was another reason I was so happy.
I felt this bracelet would keep me connected to him in some way.
If he gave me this as a gift, it meant he had grown attached to me too.
I knew it was a materialistic thought, but I couldn’t help it.
I didn’t want to die with my neck cut off. I wanted to live a full life and leave this world with as little pain as possible.
“Miss, you should also show it to your mother.”
“Oh, right!”
Elly’s words reminded me, and I dashed out to my mother’s room.
I wanted to show her the beautiful bracelet as quickly as possible.
As I ran with a big smile, I saw Herald standing in front of my mother’s room and froze, frowning.
“Dad?”
Herald slowly turned his head toward me.
I had been avoiding him ever since overhearing his conversation with Mother.
I didn’t know what to say if I met him, and seeing Mother so sad made me feel guilty even being around him…
“Chloe.”
Herald said my name in a weak voice. It was the first time he had called me by name.
He looked far worse than the last time I saw him.
Dark circles under his eyes stretched wide, and his face seemed thinner.
He clearly hadn’t been doing well.
If he saw me like this, I’d probably soften again…
“You came to see Adeline?”
“Yes…”
Ah… awkward.
I quickly hid the bracelet behind my back.
I wanted to show it to Mother before Herald.
Herald, watching me awkwardly, finally spoke.
“I heard you’ve been spending every day with the one who lived in the annex recently.”
“Yes…”
So my time with Casio had been noticed.
Of course, it was obvious—I hadn’t tried to hide it.
I nodded and watched Herald’s reaction.
Since he didn’t seem upset, I figured I hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You’ll be able to meet him again. Someday.”
Someday? When exactly is that?
Herald’s words made it sound like I wouldn’t see Casio for years, and I pouted at the thought.
“Now, go see Adeline.”
“What about you, Dad?”
Herald told me to go in, then turned away. He looked so forlorn that I couldn’t help grabbing his arm.
“I still… have a lot of work left. Go on inside.”
But Herald didn’t look back and walked away.
His shoulders sagged as he slowly disappeared from view.
Ah, why does he look like that…? It’s unnerving!
