"Oh, I must have misunderstood. I thought I was included among the people you are responsible for."
"You're overconfident."
"Yes, I was too overconfident."
As I grumbled, he laughed again. It was annoying to hear him laugh now.
"I just mentioned it in case. If I were included among those you are responsible for, you wouldn't need to do that."
"Why not?"
"Because I can handle it on my own."
"You're being too overconfident again."
"It's the truth. I handled it well even before I came here. I may not be good at other things, but I'm really good at my job. So don't worry and let me handle it."
"Isn't that a bit too arrogant? It's not that simple a problem."
"Easy problem, right?"
"Why?"
"I never really had a reason to live. I didn't even have the right to. I just kept breathing and waking up in the morning. It wasn't a grand life or anything."
No one would have mourned my death. Before I came here, death was more familiar to me. Even in this warm and cozy place, I ended up being sold for gold. My life still had no value.
"You don't need any right to live. You just need to live."
Vincent frowned and countered.
"There are people who shouldn't live."
"I don't think someone who came here, away from their family, and is taking actions that might lead to death, grew up with gentle care. It must have been a hard life, one where you had to risk your life."
"......"
"Even if that were true, you're different."
He looked somewhat displeased. His voice was tinged with irritation, yet I couldn't look away from his face.
"You have the right to live."
"......I've never heard that before."
"Every time I think about it, it seems you're the one who's dry, not me."
"You're right."
My voice trembled. I tried to suppress the tremor and forced a smile. Even though he couldn't see me, I wanted to smile for him. I'm fine, I'm fine now. I won't fall apart, just like I haven't until now. But he shattered my resolve.
"Still, live."
The corners of my mouth that I had tried to pull up twisted at his casual words. Even though he couldn't see me, his unusually straight gaze met mine.
"Live a happy life."
His voice was still brusque, but I could feel the sincerity in it, and tears welled up in my eyes. I bit my lip hard to hold back the tears.
"Can I?"
"You can."
"Really?"
I asked, forcing a smile. He seemed to ponder for a moment, then turned to look at me. His expression was resolute, which puzzled me. He suddenly turned his body and started walking away. I was taken aback and stared at him blankly. He, who had always been afraid to walk without something to lean on because he couldn't see, was showing a surprising change. The flowers on either side of him swayed as he walked.
"Master, where are you going!"
"Stay there."
He barked and moved further away. As a result, the distance between us widened considerably.
When he reached the edge of the flower field, he stopped. I stared at him blankly, still not understanding what was happening. He turned his body and slowly walked back.
He was walking.
Really, he was walking.
Without using his cane or anyone's support, he was walking towards me on his own. I was so surprised that my eyes widened. It was hard to believe even though I saw it with my own eyes. Throughout my life, there had been moments when I couldn't believe what I saw, but this was the most intense.
"Wow."
I opened my mouth in shock. I even forgot to breathe. Vincent approached me without any hesitation. The distance that had seemed quite far closed in an instant, and I watched without blinking as he reached out to grab my hand.
He suddenly grabbed my hand. I stared blankly at him standing right in front of me. Vincent smiled gently, as if he could see my expression.
"How does it feel?"
"Can you really see?"
I shouted, too excited. Vincent's smile grew wider.
"I practiced a lot. You knew, right?"
"I knew, but I thought you were practicing walking with a cane. I never imagined you were practicing walking on your own. Weren't you scared of falling?"
"I was scared, but I found a way to overcome it."
"What way?"
"I thought, if I fall, I can just get back up."
Just that? It wasn't even a method worth calling a method. But I knew it wasn't easy for him to accept such a simple fact.
"You said it before. Think of it as an adventure in the dark. You need to be brave. It was a ridiculous suggestion, but it wasn't bad. It's all about changing your perspective, right? Even if you fall while walking alone, you can just get back up and keep walking. The important thing is that you keep going. Right?"
"Right."
"I'll do as you said, so you should too."
"......"
"You said you'd stay by my side. No matter how much I try to drive you away, you'll stay. If you say you'll help someone, you'll keep helping until you succeed. If you can't succeed, you'll stay with me forever."
Suddenly, he wiped the smile off his face and frowned. He must have recalled the moment when I said those words. This time, I burst out laughing.
"Thinking about it, you've always been arrogant, then and now."
"I can't help it. That's just who I am."
I smiled up at him. He relaxed his frown and chuckled. The man who used to tremble with fear in his room was really gone. Now, he would become healthier in both body and mind. It was good to see his transformation.
"How about it? Even for a short while, wasn't it fortunate to be alive?"
"Huh?"
"You got to see something good."
He suddenly asked. I was at a loss for words at his considerate way of referring to himself. But for a moment, just a moment, seeing him walk alone made me feel truly fortunate. I was glad he didn't give up. At that moment, I was genuinely happy.
So this time, I couldn't argue. I forced a smile, trying to keep my drooping mouth corners up, and shouted with all my might.
"Yes!"
* * *
Although it was a short time, I had many conversations with Vincent. We started with trivial stories, reminisced about the past, and vented our frustrations, focusing on each other's time. The longer we talked, the more I felt a growing sense of regret.
It was the first time I felt regret about parting.
Embarrassed by the unfamiliar feeling, I poked the ground with my toes and waited for Renica as usual, to give her the laundry.
However, when Renica arrived a little later, I was startled. Her eyes were red, and her nose was bright red.
"Did something happen?"
"No, nothing happened."
Her face didn't match her words. When I asked what was wrong, she kept shaking her head. Her face looked like she was about to burst into tears, so I led her to a secluded spot between the annex and the bushes. It didn't seem like a conversation to have in an open space.
We squatted side by side. Renica's face was filled with deep sorrow. Given her usually cheerful demeanor, it must have been a serious matter. She had given me a lot of advice, knowingly or unknowingly, during my stay here. So I wanted to help if I could, and if I couldn't, I at least wanted to listen.
"Can you tell me what happened? Even if I can't help much, I can listen. Sometimes, just talking to someone can make you feel lighter."
"......"
"It's okay. I'll keep the secret of what you tell me now."
I waited calmly, and after a long hesitation, Renica slowly opened her mouth.
"......A few days ago, a maid and a servant disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"Yes."
She nodded heavily.
"They were in a relationship. They had been secretly dating without anyone knowing."
"And?"
"And...... they were caught."
"How?"
"They often met at night. Last time, they sneaked out at night and were caught by Lady Isabella. Coincidentally, the butler was also there."
I widened my eyes. Just because a man and a woman met at night doesn't mean it was necessarily suspicious, but if it happened frequently, it couldn't have been just innocent meetings. My guess was right, as Renica nodded with a sad expression.
"Yes. It was a situation they shouldn't have been caught in."
"......"
"They were punished. One of them had to leave this mansion."
So they must have fled in the middle of the night? As if reading my mind, she shook her head and contradicted me.
"No. They disappeared, but not by choice."
"What do you mean?"
I frowned, unable to understand. Renica turned to look at me. Her eyes were still swollen, her nose red, and her cheeks flushed. Her expression was now stern as she looked at me.