“Bah, vanilla. What’s wrong? What happen?”
The time is now nine o’clock at night.
Vanilla appeared in the room where Axion and I were with tears dripping from her big eyes.
I followed you last time, saying you would take me to Axion. It seemed like he remembered the road then.
“Boo… … Celia… … .”
I quickly brought Vanilla, who was crying sadly, into the room.
Axion had just fallen asleep in the small room attached to my room. Carl, who had been taking care of my bed, went back to his room.
So, there was only Vanilla and me in this room right now.
“Sit here first.”
I made Vanilla sit on the sofa and covered her with a blanket. Then he brought me some heated milk.
“Drink, vanilla. “It’s heated milk.”
“Ugh… … . “Sobbing.”
Vanilla grabbed the milk in the mug with both hands, but did not raise it to her mouth.
I waited calmly until Vanilla calmed down, and finally she opened her mouth.
“Well, that…” … My dog… … .”
bowwow?
Vanilla’s favorite dog doll?
“The dog disappeared… … . Now I’m feeling sad. “Did you abandon me like my mother did?”
“… … vanilla.”
The teardrops falling down my red cheeks looked so sad.
To abandon me like my mother did. Could it be that Vanilla’s biological mother abandoned her child?
In the original work, there was no description of Vanilla’s biological parents at all. That’s why I didn’t know the story about them.
It was here that I learned that my biological father was murdered by Dazar.
‘Even vanilla… … There are a lot of stories.’
I carefully put down the milk Vanilla was holding and held the child in my arms.
“Wow. If not, would I have been taken away like that person in Dazar? … .”
Vanilla continued to shed tears as she was held in my arms. The man from Dazar. This was something Vanilla had said once before.
I pretended not to have heard anything about the topic and spoke in a soft, relaxed tone. I thought that could appease Vanilla more now.
“are you okay. vanilla. Shhh – the dog probably didn’t run away. I was away for a while. “Maybe he’s lost and waiting for vanilla.”
“right… … really?”
“huh. “Shall we go look for it together?”
“Ugh… … Sob. “Will you come with me?”
His eyes, covered with tear stains, continued to shake anxiously. I patted Vanilla’s head and nodded firmly.
“Then, of course we should go together.”
I took my vanilla drink and left the room. Vanilla had been crying so much that teardrops could be seen here and there in the hallway she walked down.
Vanilla’s room was getting closer, but I turned in the opposite direction at the fork in the road.
It occurred to me that Dazar should not be left out here. Because he was Vanilla’s protector.
“vanilla. “The more people there are, the better, so let’s go with Dazar.”
“city… … “Cedar.”
I stared at Vanilla, who stopped at the word Dazar.
Vanilla was pursed her lips with a very depressed look on her face. But it didn’t seem like it was because I hated Dazar.
“Why do I hate it? “Is it because you don’t like Dazar?”
“You know that!”
“then?”
“right… … “That is.”
Vanilla lowered her head and spoke in a hushed voice.
“bowwow… … Marie said Dazar gave it to me… … .”
“huh? “Dazar gave you a puppy as a gift?”
“Ah, when my dad hated me, Dazar… … Dazar… … “You bitch.”
Sniff. Vanilla continued speaking in a tearful voice.
“If I do this, they’ll hate me like my dad… … .”
Did your dad hate you?
I looked at Vanilla with surprised eyes. There was a hint of fear in Vanilla’s golden eyes.
Reading the child’s eyes, I unintentionally noticed it.
‘My father made vanilla… … .’
That they didn’t care much.
Thinking that I had brought back bad memories for the child, I bent down on my knees and comforted Vanilla.
“are you okay. “Then, do you want to go only with me?”
“right… … .”
Vanilla seemed a little confused. The child’s head was about to nod, but she suddenly became lost and stopped.
And right then.
“Of course I should go too. “You idiot.”
A voice was heard that was blunt but somehow filled with warmth.
Dazar, dressed lightly, was standing against the wall, as if he knew we were heading towards him.
He crossed his arms and tilted his head.
“all… … Dazar! Boo… … .”
“Don’t cry, you guy. And since it was a gift from me, of course I have the right to find it, right? So, let’s go together.”
“… … Guo, Guongli?”
When Vanilla didn’t seem to understand the word ‘rights’, Dazar uncrossed his arms and messed up his hair.
“no. That’s not it… … I want to find it too. vanilla.”
“… … “You don’t hate me, Koya?”
“… … of course. “You guy.”
Dazar took a step closer to the hesitant Vanilla and lifted the child up with one hand. Somehow that gesture felt familiar.
“Gu, I’ll help you find it together… … .”
“He really is a guy who requires a lot of work.”
Dazar sighed and started walking, and I quietly followed behind him. Somehow, just now, I didn’t want to interrupt the conversation between the two people.
After entering Vanilla’s room, we searched everywhere for the dog.
“This guy is probably under a pile of clothes… … “That may be why you can’t find it.”
“A pile of clothes?”
Why the pile of clothes in the Duke’s daughter’s room? Aren’t the clothes always arranged by servants? Dress me up too.
Dazar glanced at Vanilla with a troubled face at my question. Vanilla was looking under the bed while continuously calling for the dog.
Dazar spoke in a very quiet voice.
“This guy has wounds on his body. Whoever it is, I try not to show it. “The attendant is always paying attention, but he reacts sensitively.”
So, to summarize, it is said that from the time Vanilla changes clothes for bed, all servants retreat and cannot come in.
As a result, the clothes I took off were left lying on the floor until morning.
“… … So I stayed with him for a while. “I have adapted to the mansion, albeit a little, and as a great nobleman, it is important to have a sense of independence from a young age.”
Anyway, for now, it meant taking off and changing clothes alone.
After hearing those words, I quickly headed to the dressing room attached to Vanilla’s room. And there, I found a dog underneath the dress I was wearing today.
“found!”
“Really?”
The dog was sleeping comfortably, stretched out on his haunches, using the dress as a blanket, and told Vanilla to reassure the child.
When Vanilla found the dog, she tried to shed tears again, but when Dazar burst out, she held back her lips by holding them tight.
After soothing the child well and making sure he fell asleep, the two of us left the room.
Bang, the door closed.
“… … “It was a whirlwind day.”
“That’s right. Who is this all because of? “I’m so tired this morning.”
“It’s because of who. “Of course it’s because of you.”
“Why is this because of me?”
I wrinkled my nose as I watched Dazar narrow his eyes.
“Well, Vanilla is your daughter.”
“… … .”
“I had a hard time being a dad all day today. “I will continue to work hard.”
I lightly tapped Dazar’s shoulder with my fist as he closed his mouth at my words.
As we walked down the hallway, we were silent for a while.
Dazar, who had been silent until he arrived at my door, finally opened his mouth.
“thanks.”
“… … yes?”
What did I just hear? Did you hear hallucinations?
While I was widening my eyes, Dazar walked away with one step. At that moment, I was the only one left in the hallway.
“… … .”
I entered the room, blinking my eyes, feeling somehow possessed by a ghost.
I lay down on the bed and pinched my cheek.
It hurt.
Phew, it made me laugh for some reason.
‘what. I just thought it was unlucky. He was a person who knew how to say thank you.’
For some reason, it felt like a corner of my heart was tickling. It rolled around and giggled for a while, then suddenly stopped moving. This is because it reminded me of ‘that person’ from Dazar mentioned by Vanilla.
‘Who is that person?’ … ?’
* * *
“Celia! Mr. Sylvester sent a letter.”
The next day, Karl showed up in a huff and handed me Sylvester’s letter. It was a reply to a question I asked the other day.
“Oh oh. Sylvester, do you think you’re doing well?”
“Wait a minute, Carl.”
I must have overexerted myself yesterday, because my whole body was throbbing. I rolled out of bed and screamed.
Ugh.
I was very tired, but I was in a hurry to check the contents of the letter, so I quickly opened it and read it.
[Why are you suddenly interested in books, Celia?
I don’t know what triggered it, but… … I can’t believe you, who showed no interest in my books and used to burn them and turn them into fertilizer to use in farming, have changed like this. The feeling is new.
This brother is very happy.]
I skipped everything I had written about how happy Sylvester was and how happy he was.
[…] … I’m finding an ancient book and interpreting it. The book you read is probably an unfinished interpretation of it. I’m still working on it, but at the temple’s request, I’ve selected some of it and compiled it into a book. I will send you some of my interpretation.]
You said you made a request at the temple?
Then you must have known that Sylvester had investigated Ruben.
I finished reading the interpretation he posted.
[Ruben is born as a human. They thrive on misfortune, and it is their inevitable fate. Ruben, who grows up like that, inevitably comes to hate the world and later destroys it.]
The world will eventually be destroyed. It was a somewhat familiar explanation.
‘… … ‘It’s so similar to Axion in the original?’
I felt the back of my head getting a little cold.
no way. Probably not. I shook my head and read more.
There were more similar explanations about Ruben, and what followed.
[Beware of Ruben’s followers.]
… … Finally, the contents of the interpretation came to an end.
[Sorry sorry. Celia! I suddenly got some information! I think I need to finish this letter urgently. I’ll send it again next time. And the books Heil mentioned were in the luggage compartment of my personal carriage… … .]
After obtaining the locations of the books Hail had requested, I became lost in thought.
I guess Axion isn’t really Ruben… … ?
After calling me several times until Carl got tired and left the room, I thought seriously and made a decision.
First, let’s leave open the possibility that Axion is Ruben and investigate what we can know about Ruben.
I quickly scribbled a reply to Silvestein.
… … If Axion was really Ruben, he was to be an enemy to his transcendental counterpart, Dazar. I swallowed, remembering the Dazar and Vanilla I encountered today.
Just in case, we become enemies… …
“… … .”
I will protect Axion at all costs.
