# 47
47. The Moment a Star Fell on the Count's Estate (8)
"Let's go, miss."
"Why all of a sudden?"
Violet looked back and forth between the nanny holding her and the old gentleman. She seemed flustered, not understanding what was going on. The old gentleman watching her suddenly shouted.
"You're grounded from going out once we return to the mansion!"
"F-Father."
Suddenly, the old gentleman's gaze turned sharp. Deep anger flashed in his eyes. He strode down the stairs. When he reached the bottom with quick steps, Vincent stood before him. Ethan supported Vincent with an anxious face.
The old gentleman glared at Vincent for a moment before raising his hand. In the blink of an eye, his hand slapped Vincent across the face. Thwack! The sound rang out, and Vincent staggered and fell. Ethan hastily caught him. We watched the scene in horror, swallowing our breath.
Violet screamed and quickly ran down the stairs. The nanny belatedly rushed down after her. I also tried to follow her down but was grabbed by Lucas. He stopped me from going down. But! I looked back at him with a confused face, but he shook his head.
In the end, I had to watch the situation unfold anxiously.
Violet ran to Vincent and asked if he was okay, checking his condition. Then she turned to the old gentleman.
"Father, why are you doing this!"
"How dare you deceive me and meet my daughter!"
"What do you mean? Deceive?"
"How lightly must you think of our house to hide your blindness! To dare covet my daughter in such a state!"
A thunderous shout erupted. Violet gasped, unable to hide her shock. It was the same for me. The anger he had been showing since we arrived must have been because of this. Ethan also had a devastated expression, as if what was bound to happen had finally come.
Meanwhile, Vincent sat up with his twisted upper body. The side where the old gentleman struck him was flushed red. However, his face was calmer than anyone else here.
"F-Father. Please don't do this."
Violet grabbed the old gentleman's arm with a trembling hand. Her voice calling him Father was also trembling. But the old gentleman shook off her hand. When Violet lost her balance and fell, the nanny rushed over and supported her.
"Take her away right now! And know that the engagement is off when you return!"
"Father!"
When Violet shouted, the old gentleman sent her a fierce glare. She flinched and lowered her gaze. Her fragile body, trembling with fear, shrank back completely. But she gathered her courage and spoke haltingly.
"I, I don't want to break the engagement."
"What could you possibly lack that you'd clean up after that bastard! What kind of talk will you endure with a blind husband by your side! Or are you so besotted with a man that you'd disgrace our house!"
"No! No, Father. I have absolutely no intention of disgracing the house. I, I just... love Vincent."
"Foolish girl."
"...."
The old gentleman clicked his tongue. Violet flinched again.
"It's because you act so foolishly that that bastard has become emboldened and refuses to break the engagement."
"B-But."
"I don't want to hear it! Shut your mouth!"
The loud shout swallowed her words.
"...."
Violet clamped her mouth shut. Her distorted face looked like she could burst into tears at any moment. The nanny held her in her arms and comforted her.
It was then.
"I will break the engagement."
The words that suddenly burst out broke the tension. Everyone's gaze, including mine, turned to Vincent who had steadied himself and stood up. Ethan, standing beside him, covered his face with one hand and squeezed his eyes shut. It was the face of someone who could no longer bear to watch this situation.
Vincent moved his lips with a calm face.
"I will do as you say."
"Vincent!"
Even at Violet's desperate call, he did not retract his words. Violet panicked and approached Vincent. When she shook him, asking why, telling him not to, and got no answer, she buried her face in his chest and burst into tears.
"That's enough now. Just go back."
"Don't do this. I said I won't break the engagement."
"Then you'll have to turn your back on your house. Can you do that?"
"I can."
"Violet."
Vincent raised both hands and felt her face. With a face soaked in tears, he lowered his gaze.
"Without the help of your house, without the nanny you love, you'll have to stay by the side of a blind husband. For your whole life by my side, serving me, living a life with no interaction with others. You'll have to give up the things you love for my sake. Wherever you go, people's stares will follow. Even if you get hurt because of it, I won't be able to notice, and I won't be able to protect you. I'll just foolishly grope around with both hands."
"...."
"Life with me is like that. Can you really live such a life?"
Violet opened her mouth. But this time she couldn't easily bring out an answer. Her violet eyes wavered. The hesitation contained within them stole her voice. Tears flowed down her soft cheeks.
Vincent smiled as if he understood and stroked her head.
"I don't want you to do that. So go back."
Violet shook her head, tears dropping from her eyes. The old gentleman watching the two gestured toward the outside. Soon after, a burly man came in and grabbed Violet's arm, pulling her away. Violet struggled and tried not to let go of Vincent, but her fragile body was dragged away helplessly.
Her hand slipped and fell away from Vincent.
"Vincent!"
"...."
In the end, she was dragged out of the mansion, held by the servant. The nanny followed behind them. The cry-filled shouts grew smaller and smaller before abruptly cutting off.
The old gentleman gave Vincent a look. His fierce eyes were still full of anger, and his tightly pressed lips didn't hide his displeasure.
"I expect you to keep that answer."
"...."
"Deceiving me is unforgivable, but considering your ties with your parents, I'll let it slide this time. Don't covet my daughter anymore."
The old gentleman finished speaking, turned around, and quickly walked away with resolute steps.
After the old gentleman left, footsteps echoed in the quiet hall. James must have come out during the commotion, as he came down the stairs. He looked around at the surroundings where silence lingered. Everyone's gaze except Vincent's fell on him.
Vincent's condition was something kept secret. There's no such thing as a perfect secret, but we strictly kept our mouths shut to hide it even for one more day. And the only people who knew that secret were us here and that man over there, James Christopher. We instinctively knew who was responsible for causing this commotion.
James calmly adjusted his clothes and took a step forward. As he passed by me and Lucas, his sharp gaze fell on Lucas. Lucas flinched and tightened his grip on me. Fortunately, James went down without saying anything else.
Coming down alone, he headed straight for Vincent. At that flustered moment, Ethan approached and blocked James's path.
As if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere, Ethan forced a smile and spoke.
"Are you heading back?"
"Yeah. No need to stay any longer."
While answering Ethan, James's gaze was directed at Vincent. Ethan moved his body to subtly block James's line of sight.
I glanced at them, then led Lucas and rushed to Vincent. He had been staring at the door without moving since earlier. As I approached closer, I could see his face, so still it seemed like even his breath had stopped.
I hesitated for a moment before gently grabbing Vincent's arm. Even so, he still didn't move. It was the same when Lucas called him.
"Master. Let's go to your room."
"...Alright."
As soon as I heard the answer, I supported Vincent. He obediently leaned on me.
As we turned around together, James, having finished talking with Ethan, came over and stopped in front of Vincent. Then he openly scanned us. His eyes contained mockery.
"Good show."
"...."
I glared with wide eyes, not backing down from the villain before me. His attitude when he visited before, and his intention in causing all this, were so obvious that I was furious.
Of course, I was also scared of James. The wariness that one should be careful of frightening people struck my mind. But at this very moment, my anger rose to the point of ignoring even that wariness.
When I returned his gaze insolently, James furrowed his brow. He seemed offended that a mere maid was looking at him straight on. Just as James was about to open his mouth with an increasingly menacing face, Ethan approached.
"James."
The displeased gaze fell away from me.
"Where did you leave the carriage?"
"Outside."
"I'll see you out. Let's go."
"Alright."
James looked this way again. Only then did I lower my head. The top of my head stung, but soon, James's footsteps disappeared outside the door. When I raised my head, I saw Ethan letting out a sigh of relief.
"I don't think I'll live my full lifespan because of you, maid."
"I'm sorry."
"I understand. But please don't do that next time."
He was smiling lightly, but his voice was quite serious. He briefly examined Vincent, then looked at Lucas standing behind me. Then he looked at me again and mouthed something.
'Please take care of these two.'
Soon after, Ethan also went outside.
* * *
Quite some time had passed since the day of the commotion. As if the clamor had been a dream, not a single sign of people or sound of voices could be heard in the mansion. It was desolate, as if all time had stopped, just like when I first came here.
I walked through the quiet corridor. Only my footsteps echoed in the long hallway.
Since that day, Vincent had shut himself in his room again. And he had nightmares every night. The intervals between his nightmares had been long recently, but lately, groans could be heard every night. I listened to those sounds, ready to run to him immediately if he called me. He didn't call me, and endured alone.
On the day James visited, I worried that he might have dark thoughts, but the next day and the day after that, he lived as usual. He ate his meals well, washed himself, and quietly listened to the books being read to him. He just didn't come out of his room.
While I was relieved that he was living more normally than expected, on the other hand, that made it even scarier. It was more so because he wore a face as if nothing had happened.